Through Time a Bethyl Love Story
by NicoleTheresa1
Summary: Beth met Daryl at age 5 on they spend their time growing up and falling in love until his father dies and Merle takes him away. 10 years later and Daryl is back on that farm again only his one true love is gone. The ZA has destroyed the world and it's up to Daryl and team family to find their way in this new world. I don't own TWD or characters
1. Through Time

**Hi everyone this is my new Bethyl story. I am pretty sure I have never read anything like it before so I hope you all enjoy it. This story will follow them from childhood into the ZA. Things will follow the show a little but you will notice some big changes. I will put who's POV each chapter is in. This chapter is in 3rd person as it follows them both together as they grow up and fall in love.**

 **Please let me know what you think. I love getting notifications in my inbox :) Even one worded reviews are welcome!**

 **Without further ado I present Through Time a Bethyl Love Story**

"Hi." She said as she sat next to him on the hard warming pavement next to the playground full of screaming kids. Her chuck covedred feet sticking out in front of her.

"Hi." He replied in a small quiet voice. Her too long hair was hanging in front of his eyes and covering his face.

"I'm Beth."

"Okay."

"What's your name?" She asked curiously as she twirled a small string fraying on her yellow sundress.

"Why?" Came his grumpy response. He shoved some of his hair from his face and looked at the small smiling blond girl sat next to him on the too hot ground. Her dress splayed out around her.

"Cuz I wanna know." She said stubbornly.

"Daryl." He said shyly. "Daryl Dixon."

"Nice ta meet ya Daryl. Wanna play stitch?" She asked him eagerly.

"What's stitch?"

"Oh my goodness I have to show you the show it is soooooo good you will love it I just know it. Stitch is this alien and he is best friends with Lilo a girl and they go on adventures and have so much fun. To play the game one person is stitch and the other is Lilo and we go on adventures and have fun."

"Never heard a the game 'fore."

"That's cuz I made it up." She replied. He smiled at her for the first time since she sat down. "Will you play?" She asked him hopeful.

"Nah, ya don't wanna play with me. Go find yer friends."

"Why don't I wanna play with you?"

"Cuz I'm a Dixon and Dixon's ain't no good." He told her honestly. His deep dark blue eyes looking into her lighter orbs. She just sat and stared at him for a long while. Her eyes never leaving his until he looked away unable to keep the eye contact.

"That's stupid." She was blunt, his head snapped back around to look at her again.

"Go away."

"Nope. I wanna be your friend and go on adventures. Don't matter to me what your last name is."

"Nobody else will ever talk to you if you are seen with me." He replied wishing she would get the hint but secretly hoping she would stay and make him go on all these adventures.

"Nobody else talks to me now so why should I care what they think." The sadness in her tone poured out of her. She wiggled a little in her spot the heat from the ground burning her legs and bottom. "I get it if you don't wanna talk to me either." She stood to leave but he caught her hand to stop her. As soon as he realized what he did he dropped her hand as if it had burned him.

"Why don't tha other kids talk to ya?" His curiosity was getting the better of him.

"I don't know they just whisper when I come into the room and then look at me funny. My mommy says they are just jealous but I think shes jnust sayin that."

"What kind of adventure do you wanna go on?" He asked changing the subject. Her blue eyes lit up like a street lamp as she squealed in delight. Her bell like laugh filled the air around them making other kids on the park look over. He blushed a deep crimson as she leaped closer to him throwing her arms around his upper body and hugging him tightly. He flinched under her touch which made her jump back.

"Sorry. No hugs." She said adamantly. "Let's go sailing the high seas and take turns walking the plank of death." Her voice took on a creepy tint at the end which made him chuckle in response. He followed her over to the balance beam on the older play ground away from the other kids. A teacher looked over watching them as they played nicley together. A small smile graced the lips of the onlooking educator.

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"Daryl come on it's gonna be fun."

"No parents are bad." He told her as she tugged on his arm as they were attempting to leave the classroom.

"Not my parents they are gonna love you I already told them all about you and the adventures we have and how we are best friends." She told him, still tugging away at his arm as his feet remained planted to the ground. They are the same age but she is small for her age making him tower over her already.

"Fine." He grummbled. He had only been best friends with the youngest Greene girl for a few weeks but he was already having trouble saying no to her. He followed her out of the school and to the old blue pickup waiting in the lot. Most of the other kids had already gone home for the day and so only a few cars remained.

"Hi Bethy, how was your day?" Her father Hershal said as he climbed out of his seat to help his daughter up.

"Good daddy."

"You must be Daryl. Hi son." He said to the small boy who was stood off to the side awkwardly.

"Sir."

"Call me Hershal, none a that sir stuff okay." He smiled at the boy who looked ready to puke and then bolt from the area as fast as possible. "Climb on up. Annette is making her famous spagetti for dinner and I'm just dying to get home to it." Daryl quickly climbed into the seat beside Beth who was happily singing some song she knew. "So Daryl how was school today?"

"Dunno."

"Did you learn anything new?"

"No."

"Did you and Beth go on any neat adventures today?" Hershal tried.

"Yes."

"What kind of adventure?"

"Spaceship." After that Hershel let it drop and instead began to hum along with Beth. Daryl sat perfectly still and very silent as they continued on towards the farm. Soon the large white farm house came into view, Daryl was breathless as he took in how big it was and how much land Beth's family had. Horses roamed near the barn and a blond lady was out chasing around a few chickens with a larger guy trying to help her. Daryl had never seen anything so funny looking in all his years.

the truck pulled to a stop close to the big wrap porch, a small woman with an apron on came hustling out the door and ovedr to the truck. "Oh my goodness look at you." The passenger door was flung open wide as she tried to help Daryl down from the truck, he didn't want to seem rude so he allowed her to touch his hand. So far the only person allowed to hug him the one time was Beth. He was grateful to her for not trying again after her initial hug on that first day.

"Mama don't coddle him." Beth said as she clampered from the seat after her best friend. "Daryl this is my mama."

"Ma'am." He said to her pulling his hand away and holding it behind his back so she couldn't grab it again.

"Oh dear please call me nettie or Annette none of this ma'am stuff. Makes me feel old."

"Sorry Ma... Annette." He replied catching himself.

"Alright well dinner is on, should be ready soon why don't you kids go help Pat and Otis catch the chickens." Hershal placed his hand on his wifes back as they walked into the nice white house.

"Come on Daryl it's so fun to catch them." Beth giggled running towards the other grown ups. He followed behind her slowly, not wanting to get to close. "Hurry up or they will catch em all."

Soon the two kids were laughing and falling over as they tried to round up the chickens. Patricia and Otis stood back to let the kids have some fun. The sun was beginning to set when Annette called them in for super. She ushered them into the bathroom to wash up and then filled their plates full of her delicious spaghetti and garlic bread. Making sure to add a little extra to Daryl's plate. Annette was a very observant woman, she could always tell when someone wasn't feeling well or when they didn't get enough to eat. She knew of the Dixon family as she grew up in this town and with Daryl's mother Caroline, she knew the things that Will Dixon supposedly did to his wife and children.

Daryl's eyes were as big as saucers as he stared down at his plate of food. Beth's siblings sat on the other side of the table quietly watching the young lad. "Miss Annette?"

"Yes dear?"

"You don't need to waste your cooking on me." He stated.

"It's not a waste sweet pea, eat up so you and Beth can go play I know she has some exciting games she wants to show you." Annette said dismissing his comment. Not needing to be told twice Daryl dug into the best meal he had ever had.

"So Daryl ya got any siblings?" Shawn questioned as the two boys helped clear the plates.

"Big brother. He's not around though."

"Oh right I think I heard a him. He was a few grades older than me. Well if ya ever need a big brother to ask questions too, ya can always ask me."

"M'kay." The dishes were in the sink and surronded by bubbles as Beth pulled on her best friends arm to drag him to her room where she had a box of games under the bed. He could hear Annette on the phone down stairs as they climbed to the top.

"Hi Caroline." She started. "Yes he is here playing with Beth, Hershel will drive him home in about an hour." She went on after a short pause. "Have a good night." And then he was in the room and Beth was pulling game after game and playdoe colours out into the open.

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A small knock on the front door of the Greene farmhouse startled Hershel as he was emersed in a book on birthing horses. He slowly placed the book down on the end table near the arm chair and stood to open the wooden door. Upon seeing nothing he looked down as the first sniffle rang in the silence around him. "Daryl? Is everything alright?" The rain was pouring down in torrents and the small boy was soaked through.

"No." He cried throwing himself into the older man's legs. Hershal placed his hand on the top of Daryl's back and just let the boy cry. He soon was able to usher Daryl into the warmth of the house and got him a glass of milk. He didn't push or ask again what had happened to make the boy show up so late at night on his own. So when Daryl spoke on his own Hershel was taken a back a bit. "My ma. She's gone."

"I'm very sorry son. What happened?" He couldn't contain it.

"She burned up with the house." He blurted out happy to have finally told someone. The weight of the day's events had been wearing him thin. The tears flowed again this time waking Annette who had been asleep upstairs.

"Hershel what's going on." Daryl who had never been one to show any kind of emotion or ask for physical contact from anyone threw himself into Annette's waiting arms. Still unsure of what had happened she embraced the small child whom she had grown to love over the last year. He sobbed against her night gown as she soothingly ran her hands up and down his back gently. "Oh my dear." she cooed to him a few times.

Daryl cried himself to sleep and when he woke he found himself tucked in sweetly on the soft window seat in Beth's room. Her lamp glowing brightly beside her bed as she slept peacefully. He noted not a single sound could be heard through out the house and so he settled himself back down to sleep some more. The next time he woke the sun was coming in through the light pink curtains and Beth was sitting cross legged on her bed watching him sleep. "Mornin." he mumbled to her groggily.

"Good morning." She beamed. It still amazed him that someone coujld be so happy all the time. Her blond hair was a mess around her face and her light blue eyes were shining with happiness at having her friend so close. "Come on mama's makin' breakfast." The two friends joined hands and walked down the steps and into the bright kitchen. The smell of bacon and other breakfast foods a welcome scent from the smoke he had inhaled the day before.

"Mornin' kids, did ya sleep well?" Annette questioned from the stove. Hershel looked up from his morning newspaper to see the two of them sitting down in their regular spots. After a while Maggie and Shawn emerged from their rooms to join everyone at the oak table. After everyone finished eating Annette and Hershel pulled Daryl into the front room and told the others to get ready for the day. "Daryl I spoke with Arnold at the police station. Told him you had come here."

"Okay."

"Until they find your dad you are going to stay with us."

"Okay."

"Now you can have the guest room all to yourself or you can stay in Beth's room." Hershel told the boy.

"Why did you put me in there anyway?" He questioned the grownups.

"Well we didn't want ya to wake up in a scary unfamiliar place. Figured Beth's snoring would be an okay sound to hear."

"She does snore." Daryl laughed lightly. "Thank you."

"Of course dear." She hugged him which he melted into slightly.

A few days later the cops found his Pa at the cabin in the woods. He was drunk out of his mind and higher than a kite on independance day. With his father now home in the new trailer the insurance company covered Daryl had to leave the comfort of the Greene family farm. He knew his pa was gonna be pissed and meaner than normal now that his wfie was gone. He was right things just kept getting worse and worse. Daryl escaped as often as he could to hang out with Beth at her families place, he was scared of wearing out his welcome but at the same time he was more scared of being home to much. His brother had been gone for years with no calls or letters so he didn't even have him to help protect him. Daryl was terrified of the future, and how short his might be.

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"I can't wait to be 10 like you." Beth told her best friend who was stood beside her on the old playground at the only elementary school in the small town they lived in. She was practically bouncing with excitement for his birthday.

"Ain't no big deal."

"Oh but it is. Daryl all birthdays are a big deal and mama and daddy are having a big dinner for ya. Mama made the cake yesterday and it looks so good I can't wait for you to see it tonight." She babbled on and on. He was only half listening, instead he was focused on the fact that his big brother Merle showed up last night at the trailer he lived in with his pa. He was focused on the pain searing down his back as he remembered the feel of his fathers leather belt against his skin. The screams and the words his father spoke rang clearly in his head.

"Good fer nothin' low life bastard." His father spat. "Ain't never gonna amount ta nothin'."

"Daryl... Daryl are you listening to me?" Beth questioned waving her hand in front of her friend. She knew she had lost his attention a long time ago. "Fine. Let's play lava." He snapped his head in her direction. He loved the lava game it was his favourite that they had made up. The couldn't touch the ground and if they did they had to start over at the begining of the course. The old playground was always empty except for them so it made the game easier. All the kids prefered the newer shiny colorful playground to the old wooden one and that made Beth and Daryl very happy.

"Yes. Lava game. Sorry I was just thinkin'."

"About what?" She proped.

"Nothin'." She didn't argue the logic of his answer instead she bolted the the first part of the course. The ring moneky bars. Lunch ended too quickly with Daryl winning the lava game. Class seemed to drag on forever and when the bell finally rang letting them out Daryl was quick to grab his bag and bolt to the door. He knew Beth expected him to go to the farm for dinner but with his brother in town and his dad angrier than normal he couldn't risk going over for his birthday.

"Woah wheres the fire Daryl?" Shawn asked as he hopped out of the blue truck to pick up him and Beth.

"I gotta get home."

"Not coming over for dinner and cake?"

"Can't my pa he is real mad about me being gone all the time and my brother's in town. I don't wanna make them angry." Shawn seemed to understand what Daryl was saying so he let it slide a little.

"Can I at least give ya a ride home?"

"No I can walk."

"Daryl you know you can tell me anything right." Daryl looked around to make sure nobody else was around. Shawn walked a little closer and got down to eye level with the boy who had become just like family. He set his larger hand on the small boys back but pulled away fast as Daryl flinched in pain under the touch. "Daryl you alright?"

"Fine." And with that he was gone. He ran all the way to his pa's crappy little trailer on the edge of town. He tried not to think about Shawn and what he was gonna say to Hershel and Annette, what the whole family would think of him now that they knew. He held back any tears and

"Kid get yer ass in here now." His pa barked from the smelly sofa in the living room. the TV was playing some infomercial and the volume was full blast. Daryl hated the constant noise but knew not to say anything.

On the other side of town Shawn pulled the truck to a stop and Beth hopped out angry that her older brother wouldn't tell her what happened with Daryl. All she knew was that Shawn was angry about something. "Beth, Maggie go upstairs I need to talk mom and dad." The tone of his voice left no room for argument so both girls did as asked. Beth however knew this was about her best friend so she stomped up the steps and then sat where she could listen.

"Shawn what is going on?" Annette asked concerned. "And where is Daryl?"

"Daryl was really upset today when I showed up, I tried to dig and figure out why and when I put my hand on his back he flinched away. Mom dad I think his dad is hitting him."

"Shawn." Hershel said in a warning tone. "We can't go making assumptions about people."

"Hershel I think Shawn is right there just isnt much we can do unless Daryl is cooperative and we all know how stubborn he is. If we approach him about it he might just run off." Annette told the group.

"Someone is hurting Daryl?" Beth asked in a sad voice as she came down the stairs to face her brother and parents.

"Oh sweet pea, I don't want you to worry about anything okay. Just go on up and play okay." Annette said hugging her daughter.

The next day at school Beth pulled Daryl into a quiet classroom before other students began to file inside. "Does your dad hurt you?" She asked him as quietly as she could.

"Why would ya ask that?"

"Because Shawn and my parents are worried about you and I heard them talking."

"I don't wanna talk about it Beth."

"I won't tell anyone." She promised. He looked her in the eyes and held her gaze for a long moment.

"It's bad Beth. My pa he get's real angry and he drinks a lot." He surprised them both by pulliung his old worn down tee-shirt up over his shoulders and letting her see the deep scar marring his once perfect back. Reaching out she touched it gently, not letting herself apply mjuch pressure for fear of hurting him. Without saying anything she dropped her hand from his back and flung herself at him holding him tightly.

"Your my best friend in the whole wide world and one day we will find a way to make everything better." She vowed and all he could do is smirk and chuckle. He knew life was not the way she saw it, it was ugly and messy and he would try his best to keep her safe from it. To keep her in her safe little happy bubble.

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"Hey Moll's looks like Greene is all alone again." Jimmy Parker the most popular boy in high school said as he walked with his girlfriend Molly past the table Beth was sitting at reading her history text book. Beth kept her head down in her book to ignore the pair that have tormented her for as long as she can remember.

"You would think she would get prettier with age. Guess not." Molly sneered, her foot flying out to kick Beth's bag over spilling the contents onto the floor. As muchg as she tried to ignore them she had to jump from her seat to grab her now scattered things. Seeing the commotion from the food line Daryl bolted with the tray they always shared and glared Jimmy down.

"go on git." Daryl barked. He bent down to help Beth pick up her things as the pair finally moved on. "Ya alright?"

"Fine." She told him trying to hold in all the emotions that were raging inside her. "I hate her so much."

"Jus' remember you got the lead not her."

"I know and I tell myself that every time I see her. Jimmy however, I don't understand him at all. One day he is going on about how pretty I am and how much he likes me and he's constantly asking me out and now he's acting like the biggest jerk. So what I turned him down, that doesnt mean he needs to treat me like shit." Beth began to rant.

"Why did you turn him down?" Daryl questioned his best friend.

"Oh. Um well I don't know." She replied grabbing a french fry from the plate hoping he would drop it and move onto a different topic.

"Oh no don't give me that crap Beth." Daryl started. "Why did you turn him down?" She turned to stare him directly in the eyes, no words slipped from her lips as she held his deep blue eyes with her much lighter blue eyes. "Oh." She broke her gaze away and grabbed another fry before standing to leave the cafe. "Wait." He called standing and following her out the double doors of the school cafeteria. Pulling on her arm he spun her around, catching her gaze again this time he didn't stop and stare. He moved in closer to her, his lips lightly touching her's. Her body melted against his as she got caught up in the kiss, their mouths moving together like they had been doing it for years. She reached her hand up and grabbed onto the back of his head pulling him in even closer. Before either of them knew it they were pulling away gasping for much needed oxygen.

"Daryl" She breathed out, the L staying on her lips for a few beats longer than normal.

"Wow."

"When did you get so brave." She teased.

"Today I guess." He answered her question before leaning a little closer to her. "I don't know what came over me."

"Either way I like it." She leaned up on her tip toes to kiss him again, this time slower and with more passion. "I turned him down because I realized last year that it's you that I want."

"Why didn't you say anything?"

"I didn't think you would like me like that. I mean I know what everyone says and thinks..."

"Hey I ain't no good with words but I can tell ya that when they say ya ain't pretty they are jus' being stupid. Yer the prettiest." Her smile stretched out accross her face as her eyes lit up.

"Daryl you... Oh my..." She kissed him again as words failed her.

Walking back to the farm hand in hand thate afternoon was strange but perfect, whispered words were shared between the two as they realized they were making a big change to their relationship. Sitting around the dinner table with Beth's family Daryl felt more at peace than ever before.

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"Get yer butt in here Greene or yer gonna get sick." Daryl hollered as she ran into the barn after him. A storm hit the area suddenly as the two were out for a walk in the woods. The wind whipped around them and rain poured down in torrents as lightning flashed dangerously over head.

"I'm in I'm in." She said hugging herself close to his body hoping to steal his heat.

"Cold?"

"Always." She giggled. Beth dragging herself away from her boyfriend of over a year and the best friend she has ever had climbed up the ladder to the hay loft. She lit the few lanterns that Maggie had snuck up there years ago and peeled off most of her wet clothing. Daryl followed suit and stopped short as he noticed her disrobed figure. "What?" She asked tilting her head in a seductive manor.

"Beth what are you doing?"

"Taking off all my wet clothes so I don't freeze to death. Now how about we take your off and dry them out too." She started. "Come here." Her voice took on an even deeper tone as courage soared through her veins.

He did as she asked and slowly walked towards her, as he got close her hands reached up and pushed the angel wing vest he bought last year off his broad shoulders. Standing high on her tip toes Beth's lips met his in a sweet chaste kiss. "Touch me." She whispered against his lips. He didn't need much more than that to slip his hands under the thin white tank top she had covering her chest. His hand palmed her small subtle breast making her moan into his mouth as her own hand began working the buttons on his shirt.

The heat rose up to her cheeks as they lay on a soft wool blanket next to the lantern. Their naked bodies pressed tightly together with her hands running over the scars that made him who he is today. "You sure about this?" He asked her in a hushed tone as the storm kept on outside.

"Never been more sure." Beth replied hiking her leg over his hips and straddling his lap. Her face just inches from his as she breathed in deeply, grounding herself to the moment. He slipped on a condom and then slipped his hard member into her wet heated core. He caught her moans with his mouth as they got used to the feel of being together as one.

"I love you." He mumbled into the flesh of her neck as the rocked back and forth creating a delicious friction.

"I love you too."

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The school dance rolled around and Daryl pretended not to notice that Beth wanted to go. She had never wanted to go to school events before but now that everything between them was perfect she wanted to show off just a little. He would change the subject whenever she brought it up and then try to leave the room all together. With Shawn off to college now he had no excuse to leave to help him out with the tractors or something.

"Daryl why won't you listen to me."

"Cuz Beth we ain't gotta go and show off to those assholes."

"So you won't go to the dance with me?" She said in a deflated tone. Earlier that morning Daryl had had a run in with his still drunk father and his mood was worse than he originally thought.

"Why do you wanna go?" He questioned.

"Because we never go out. We just stay here and hang out in the woods. I wanna wear a pretty dress and dance to stupid music with you."

"We can dance here."

"IT'S NOT THE SAME." She yelled. Her face red with anger and her nostrils flaring wildly. If he wasn't mad he would have laughed at how funny she looked.

"YER ASKING FOR TOO MUCH GIRL. I'M OUTTA HERE." He stormed out of the Greene Farmhouse and down the steps stopping at his bike.

"Daryl wait don't just leave."

"Why."

"Because I love you and I am sorry I wanted to do this with you. We never fight and I hate it."

"Don't be sorry Beth, I'm sorry I'm taking my crap mood out on ya." He explained.

"What happened?" She had reached the bottom of the steps and stood in front of him with her big blue eyes staring at him knowingly.

"My dad."

"Oh." Her hand flew out to land on his arm, giving it a gentle reassuring squeeze. "I promise I won't ask again."

"Nah it's alright I'll go with ya to the dance but I ain't wearing a suit."

"I wouldn't have it any other way." She kissed him softly before pulling awqay to let him go. He stayed rooted to the spot staring at her. "So my parents won't be home for a few more hours?" She said forming it as an unspoken question. Without any words she led him by the hand back into the house and up the steps to her bedroom. The white walls covered in pictures of their life so far, the window seat covered in pillows and blankets just like it had been that first night he slept over. Memories flooded him as she gently pushed him down onto her queen sized bed and began to pull his clothes from his body.

"I can't believe you actually talked me into this." He stated as the stood at the entrance to the gym at the high school. It was their first school dance now that they were Sophomores and Beth was practically bouncing as she walked in the too high of heels Maggie helped her pick out. "Those shoes are dumb you don't need em."

"I wanna see how long I can last in them." she chided knowing he had packed her converse into the saddle bag on his bike.

"Well looky who showed up. If it isn't psycho freak 1 and 2." Molly sang as she neared the pair with Jimmy on her arm.

"Moll." He warned.

"Oh Jimmy don't get all soft now." She scolded him right back. "So what brings you too out of your dungeon?"

"Leave us alone Molly, we are not bugging you." Beth told her as they walked away from the confrontation. He knew if they stayed longer than that Beth would fight the girl with the bottle blonde hair. "Punch?"

"Yeah."

We danced and swayed to the music for half an hour before it was time to change from the heels to the converse. Instead of heading back into the party they decided to ditch and head to the old quarry instead, the creek trickled by and crickets sang their songs as the two lovers sat together in silence for a long while.

"Tonight was perfect. Thank you for coming Daryl. I love you."

"I love you too. I am glad you made me go to that dance."

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A beat up old truck pulled up to the porch of the Greene family farmhouse. Daryl with the rest of the family went out to see who could possibly be coming over as no one expected anything. Shock rang through Daryl as his brother peeled himself from the vehicle and came to stand in front of the group. "Daryl."

"Merle what are ya doing here?"

"Pa's dead."

"What?"

"Shot three times outside that old bar two towns over a few days ago. Why didn't ya report him missing?" Merle questioned his younger brother.

"He always goes for days then comes back."

"Well the lawyer talked to me and looks like i'm yer guardian now."

"I'm okay I don't need a guardian." Daryl tried to tell his older more stubborn brother.

"Get in the truck brother. Yer comin' with me. Say good bye to yer little play family. We ain't ever comin' to this town again."

"What no." Beth cried out gripping Daryl's hand tighter.

"Merle, Daryl he is more than welcome to stay with us. We have a room for him and he has classes." Hershel tried stepping forward.

"Dixon's don't need no damn classes and we take care a our own." Merle sneered.

"Merle I don't want to go." Daryl told his older brother seriously. "I want to stay here." Merle snorted with laughter, holding on to his sides to stop himself.

"Get in the damn truck or I'll drag you outta here myself." Standing still beside the girl he loved and the family who loved him he stood his ground not wanting to back down. Merle keeping his promise marched over and roughly grabbed Daryl pulling him away from his life. He slammed the truck door shut and climbed into the driver's seat tearing out of the drive way. Beth stood stock still watching the dust settle and the taillights vanish.

"He's gone." She whispered over and over again as tears fell from her bright blue eyes. "gone."

"Bethy come on inside okay." Annette said as softly as she could. Beth turned her face towards her mother before bending at the waist and emptying the contents of her stomach onto the soft soil. "Beth." Her mother flung herself down to her daughters level taking in how pale in colour her daughter was.

"Get him back. Please daddy get him back." Beth begged from where she was now sitting in the dirt, her pale blue sundress ripping slightly.

"I can't Bethy I'm sorry but the courts won't give him to us if he has a living relative willing and able to care for him."

"I feel sick." She mumbled before passing out.

 **The second chapter will be posted soon. Please let me know what you think. Next up will be Daryl's POV.**

 **I wrote this in a blank email at work so I apologize for any mistakes. I hope I found them all!**


	2. The End of the World

**Hi Everyone, here is part two. A lot of what goes on in Daryl's chapters will have a resemblance to the show as he is following the same timeline as his TV counterpart. There will however been a few differences to how things play out and how he handles them. The Beth chapters will flow a lot different as her stuff is entirely new since she is an adult not a teen.**

Please review and let me know what you think. I love hearing what you all think of it, it means a lot to me!

Daryl's POV

The woods were the closest thing I had to a home now that I was off living with Merle, he dragged me from one drug deal to another over the last 10 years. I wanted to go back to the life I had but I never did get the courage to do so, I guess a part of me always though it was too good to be true. They were all to good to be true. With that thought always in mind I kept on following Merle.

It wasn't much of a life though, always moving, always playing by different set of rules. Some days I would wake up from a dream or nightmare rather. A nightmare where everything I went through with her was all in my head, that she never really exsisted. I would wake up in a cold sweat with the horrid memories that she... that they were all fake. Some creation I had cooked up to distract myself from the hell that is my life. But then I would look down to my wrist and see the little upercase B in her writting that I had turned into a tattoo. One night the rain was pouring down around us as we lay around in the hayloft of the barn. She had her markers scattered around and thick drawing paper, a hobby she had decided to try. Without much thought she grabbed my wrist and with a black sharpie pen wrote out a B in her fancy bubbly scrawl. I went the next day to the tattoo parlour and had them go over it. The morning Merle dragged me from her I had shown her the mark which made her smile that thousand watt smile that made my insides ignite. I drew my own initial on her wrist that morning, a mark that would have washed away long ago. I knew I should have fought him to stay there with her. Hell with all of them, but never could I imagine them wanting me around for so long.

Pushing the thoughts away again I heard Merle making noise somewhere behind me.

"Baby brother you hear that?" Merle questioned from behind me aways. My crossbow pointed out in case I came across an animal. Although with Merle tramping through the woods with piano's tied to his feet I doubt anything will be dumb enough to get caught by me. I stopped and strained my ears to hear what he was goin on about. Soon enough the sounds of moaning filled my ears. At first I thought it could be someone getting laid but it was only one person and it was getting closer. I looked around trying to pin point the strange sound. "Woah ugly SOB you are." Merle said loudly, I turned to see what he was talking to when a man stumbled forward reaching out for Merle, his face was cut up and droopy and his eyes were grey and cloudy. Hisw clothi8ng was ripped to shreds and he hobbled around in an odd manor. Merle dodged the reaching hands all the while laughing at the guy. More groans and growls emitted from the guy, no words or intelligent sounds could be heard.

"Merle what the news been saying?"

"Dead guys walking and taking hits or somethin' I don't know." I lifted the crossbow once more, firing a bolt into the eye socket of the man. He fell limp to the ground as black blood oozed from his head. "Woah baby brother what the hell ya murderin' that SOB for?"

"I don't think it was alive Merle. I think that's what the news been talkin' about." I told him. More moans filled the air and soon a dozen or so of those people wandered into sight. "Run." I told him and thank god he listened. We kept up a good pace, slowing down when we came to a highway packed with cars and people. Shouts rang through the air as people panicked, screams pierced the air as some turned into the flesh eating monsters. "We gotta get to gthe cabin and get our shit."

It didn't take long to fill the saddle bags and the pick up truck with the meager belongings we owned. "Skip the highways brother." Merle said avoiding my name like normal, at least he isn't calling me Darylena right now though.

"Where we gonna go?"

"Don't know yet, avoid the cities."

We set out onto the back country roads of Georgia hoping to find the safe placees the radio host was talking about.

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"Son of a bitch!" I yelled out as I slammed the hood of the truck closed. "Damn alternator again."

"Maybe ya shouda taken better care of yer truck brother,"

"You know this piece of shit belonged to pa." I told him still angry about the entire ordeal. He huffed out a breath exhaling the smoke from a cigarette. He leaned against the side of my truck chuckling. "Fuck I don't wanna leave it behind and ride as your bitch on that damn bike."

"You ain't ridin on the bike Darylena." He said stubbornly. I turned around and slumped against the hood of the truck, grabbing a smoke from my breast pocket and lighting up quickly. The smoke coated my lungs in that familiar way, I looked over my shoulder and found Merle shuffling through his saddle bag until he pulled out a bottle of pills and popping some back.

"Seriously man your getting high now?"

"Get off my back baby brother ya ain't my mama." I groaned internally a I turned my back on him once again. Day's like today I regretted my choice to stick with him after I turned 18 rather than head back to the town I grew up in, back to her. My thoughts always seemed to fall back to her. I wonder if she is at the farm still, alive nad well and getting along alright, but then I remembered her dreams for moving to the big city and being an actress and a singer. I remember the plans we had made together to get out of that shitty little town and away from Georgia. A new begginin she would call it whenever we talked about it. "Fix yer damn truck so we can get goin." Merle snapped, his eyes hazy from whatever drug he took. I pulled open the hood to look inside once more and hope to god I could get it going again.

An hour or so later the sound of an engine filled the air around me. I looked up from under the hood to find a big old RV pulling to a stop next to me. A small little Asian guy hopped out the door followed by an old man and two blondes. The younger of the two looked similar to her. I froze for a moment letting my mind come back to normal. "Need help?" The Asian asked.

"Ya got a new truck this old beast is beyond fixin?" I half joked. Merle kicked my leg for being nice to people.

"Nah but you can come with us. I'm Glenn, this here is Dale, Andrea and Amy."

"We ain't goin with no one." Merle slurred. I went around back and grabbed my beg.

"I'm goin." I said to my idiot brother. "I'm Daryl this is Merle the asshole."

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Eventually the group grew as we took in more and more people. We found a place outside Atlanta, a quarry. Everyone had jobs to do at camp and everyone was more than happy to help out. Well everyone but Merle. Shane the self-appointed leader and his best friend's wife the queen of camp seemed to run things in their holier than thou manor, I went out hunting more than needed to avoid being around their judgmental staring.

I walked through the woods following the tracks of a buck, the wind whistled through the trees as the birds chirped loudly around me. The forest always held the most peaceful of sounds. The buck came into my view, with my crossbow raised I fired off the first bolt making the deer run. It took two more bolts to bring her down. I moved as fast as I could to find the place she dropped, instead I heard some of them damn kids from camp screaming bloody murder. Soon the sounds of a few group members fighting off a walker were heard so I made my way a little quicker. There they were beating the shit out of the damn thing instead of killing it an my buck with her insides torn out and chunks missing. "Maybe we cut around that part?" I said angrily.

Pissed off about losing all the meat I had shot I called out for Merle, I still had a few squirrels from my trip. "MERLE."

"Daryl is it?"

"Who the hell are you?"

"Rick Grimes."

"Well Rick Grimes where is my brother?"

"There was an incident in Atlanta today."

"He dead?"

"No. I hand cuffed him to a roof." Rick stated calmly which only pissed me off further. I flew off the handle then.

"You cuffed him to a damn roof why the hell..."

"He was a danger to everyone around him."

"YOU LEFT HIM THERE." I yelled.

"Listen I know where he is..." Rick started to say.

"I chained the door so the walkers can't get to him." T-Dog mentioned. "I dropped the damn key I'm sorry Daryl."

"Why didn't ya just pick it up." I demanded knowing what his answer would be. I didn't wanna keep fighting with these idiots so I took off toward the bike.

"Where are you going?" Rick questioned.

"To get my damn brother." The next thing I knew I was pilling into some damn cube truck with Glenn, T-dog and Rick and we were driving fast down the mountain and into the heart of Atlanta. The cars lined one side of them main freeway leading in and out of town, walkers milled about all over the place. We drove a few blocks away from the big hospital and I could swear I saw something moving in a window. I pushed that thought away as I focused on finding my idiot of a brother, I could only pray to a god I'm not even sure is real that he is still alive. After all he is all I got left in this damn world.

The chains were broken from the door but no walkers were in sight. "Maybe he got out" I said aloud to now one in particular. I walked around the roof top stopping dead for a moment as I looked down to the ground to see Merle's hand sliced off at the wrist. "Holy shit." I grabbed my red hanker chief and picked up the hand shoving it in my backpack. "Let's get goin, he can't have gotten far."

The search of the building around here went nowhere and by the time we got back to the truck it was gone. Merle most likely had taken it and now we had to walk back to camp. Shots rang out as we ran the last bit up to the top where camp was situated. Walkers filled the area and screams of our people attracted more. We joined in the fight to save our people, by the first light all the walkers that invaded our space were dead and all of our people we lost had been put down to avoid them from becoming like the dead one. All but one that is. Amy the blond who reminded me so much of the one I lost lay dead on the ground by the trailer. Her whiny sister perched above her holding her hand and crying every last tear. Everyone left in the group stayed quiet as we all waited for the inevitable. Amy woke up, reaching for her sister to feast on her flesh. Rick wanted to step in I could see but Andrea who had threatened to shoot him earlier beat him to it by putting the gun to her head and pulling the trigger. It was in that moment that it was no longer Amy lying there but Beth. I had avoided saying her name even to myself for a long time but now it rolled out of my mind like a wave. It could be Beth somewhere with a bullet in her brain or worse, wandering aimlessly looking for a hot body to feast on. I cringed at the thought and turned back to the other bodies set to be buried in the holes Jim had dug.

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We could stay at the camp any longer, not with walkers wandering that close. Our next stop was a fight between Fort Benning and the CDC. The group went with Rick's plan and headed for the CDC, and aside from getting piss drunk it was the worst place to go. The dumb ass scientist tried to incinerate us all when the building self-destructed, we only lost one person to that place. Jacquie.

Our next stop was Fort Benning, well it was supposed to be. Instead we are stuck on a goddamned highway snarl. A damn graveyard if ya ask me. The RV has blown some kinda hose so Dale's got us all out looking for anything we can scavenge. Soon the growls of the dead fill my ears as a horde wander through the scattered cars and bodies. I hear T-dog swear somewhere off to my side so I run over to him, finding him covered in his own blood as he injured his arm. I toss a dead one on him to mask the smell from the walkers and do the same for myself as we wait out the herd.

Soon silence take over and I can hear people starting to get up. "SOFIA!" Carol screams out in pain. I jump to my feet and find Rick running into the woods on the one side of the highway after the young girl.

"T-dog's hurt we gotta do somethin'." I told the others who looked over to the bleeding man. Dale went in search of medication and bandages as Glenn kept working on the RV.

Dark was setting in and Rick had returned without Sofia, Carol sobbed on the side of the road begging Rick to keep looking. It was pointless though, in the dark he won't find nothin' but trouble. "Tomorrow we will go out in a larger group. At first light." Rick told her. She remained outside watching the woods for any sign of her daughter as the rest of the group tried to sleep and keep watch.

Walking through the woods again felt great, the sounds of nature bringing a peaceful sense to my mind. Rick, Shane, Glenn, Andrea, Lori, Carl, Carol and I were out attempting to find Sofia before it's too late. Church bells started ringing in the distance, we all pick up the pace to see if it was the young missing girl ringing them. Three walkers and a speaker attached to the wall was all we found. Shane decided it was time to head back so instead vof fighting him I just shrugged and walked away. Rick, Carl and him kept going for a while longer hoping to use a bit more daylight as the rest of us circled back around towards the road. A single shot rang through the still air of the early evening.

"What was that?" Carol questioned.

"Probably just a walker." Andrea suggested.

"Rick wouldn't use a gun for just one walker." Lori deadpanned. The group remained still for a while straining ears to hear any more sounds. Nothing happened so we kept walking. Next thing I know some chick in a cowboy hat comes riding toward us on a horse and Glenn has a look of complete awe on his face. I look up to her as she's talking.

"Lori. Lori Grimes?"

"Yeah."

"You need to come with me. Carl's been shot. Rick sent me."

Maggie Greene sat atop that horse and delivered Lori's worst nightmare. I wanted to say something but before I could Lori was pulled up onto the back of the horse and Andrea is talking. "Where can we find you?"

"Farm a mile off the dirt road you passed. Rick said yall were in that snarl on the highway, go back a bit and find it. Mail box says Greene." And she was off. I stomped forward faster than I could breath with the others trailing behind me.

"Daryl what is going on."

"We gotta get to that farm house now." I told them. The group moved quickly then as we made it back to the highway.

"Daryl we don't know the way to begin with we need to wait until it's light out before we leave." Dale went on.

"I know the way."

"How?" Glenn wondered aloud.

"Been there before." I stated.

"You know the girl on the horse?" Glenn said his voice full of wonder.

"Yeah, names Maggie Greene, real pain in the ass."

"Dale is right we should wait until morning." Andrea piped in.

"T-dog don't ya need to see a doctor?" I tried.

"Sure but their ain't no damn doctors to go to." He reminded me.

"Yeah well the old man that lives there was a vet, he can patch ya up."

"It can wait till morning."

I wasn't winning this one so instead of ditching everyone which did cross my mind I settled in for the night to wait until the light. I would see her again. In the morning we would drive up to the farm house and she would be there in the kitchen cookin something and looking every bit the girl I lost all those years ago.

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First light I was ready at my bike. "Let's go people." As they began to assemble and prepare to leave Carol walked over to me.

"What has you in such a hurry to get to this farm Daryl?"

"Nothin." I lied.

"Liar."

"Until I know that it's the way I want it I ain't sayin' nothing."

"What's her name?" She questioned. "Is it Maggie?"

"God no it ain't Maggie, always naggin." Carol laughed slightly. "Name's Beth." She nodded her head and went over to the RV and climbed in with the others. We set off for the farm house, a place I never thought I would see again.

We pulled into the long driveway, the dirt path beneath my bike familiar and comforting. A feeling of dread washed over me at the possibility that she wasn't here with her sister. The big white farm house came into view and I could see Maggie sitting on the porch with her legs tucked close to her. I hoped off the bike and started walking to her as Glenn pealed from the camper and made his way to her first. "Hi Maggie right."

"How do you know my name?" She asked frightened.

"I told them." I said walking closer. Her eyes got huge as she took in my large size, the realization of who I am dawned on her and she jumped from her seat and threw her arms around my shoulders.

"My god Dixon you got giant." She joked.

"The kid okay?"

"Carl is not doing well he needs surgery and we don't have the equipment here to do it." She told us all. "Now why don't you ask me what you really want to ask?"

"She inside helping Hershel?"

"No."

"Where is she then." I demanded, the fear gripping my insides.

"She was in New York at the time."

"No. No she was not in New York. Not in a city that big or a city at all." I said stepping back a few paces as the shock hit me. "She's gone."

"I'm sorry Daryl."

"I'll be out looking for Sofia." I told the group turning to look at Carol for a moment before darting off into the familiar fields and into the woods I grew up in.

 **Well everyone please let me know what you think. I love hearing from you!. Reviews make my day!**

 **I own nothing- Robert Kirkman and show runners do!**


	3. The Farm

**Okay folks, I hope you enjoy this next instalment. A big surprise is in this chapter. Again I apologize for any mistakes. I have been doing most of the writing in a blank email at work when it's slow. Anywho please review and let me know what's on your minds. I love to hear from you!**

I wandered through the quiet woods of surrounding my home town. A place I never thought I would see again, where people I never thought I would see again still resided. All expect her.

Three days of searching for the missing girl and I knew I had to go back before a search party for me was sent out. With no signs other than this damn doll I saw Sofia carrying around back at the CDC I started walking back through the thick woods that would take me to the farm.

"Jimmy can you help gather more rocks please." Patricia said with tears in her eyes.

"Of course Ma'am." Jimmy the damn kid from school that used to tease Beth and I mercilessly said.

"Pat?" I asked walking up to her.

"Oh Daryl it's true you are here." The older woman said throwing her arms around my neck in a tight hug. I hugged her back remembering how sweet she always was.

"Why are ya gathering rocks?" I questioned pulling out of her embrace.

"Otis and that man Shane went in search of medical supplies for the boy and... and..."

"I'm sorry Pat. Otis was a good man."

"He was."

"I gotta go talk to Rick and Carol about the missing girl but I'll come back out and help in a few minutes." I told her, placing a quick kiss to her cheek.

I walked up the steps of the farmhouse in search of Rick. He was sitting with his head in his hands on a chair that is sat by the window. I remember the day Annette brought the chair home and no one wanted to sit in it because it was the most uncomfortable thing around. She would scoff and roll her eyes before walking away from us. "Rick."

"Daryl you find anything?"

"Carol here?" I asked.

"Right here." She said walking in from the kitchen and sitting on the bottom step. "What did you find?"

"Just this." I said handing her the doll.

"No sign of her?" Carol asked with tears in her eyes.

"Sorry, nothin." She stood up to leave and Maggie took her place on the steps. "I gotta go."

"Daryl are you avoiding me?"

"No I just told Pat I would help her." I replied.

"Daryl she loved you more than anything."

"Maggie..."

"No listen to me Daryl. Beth loved you with her whole heart, she cried for months when you left. She prayed and prayed that you would come back. You never came back Daryl, even after you turned 18 you never came back for her. Do you have any idea how hard it was to deal with Beth while she was losing her mind missing you all the while trying to deal with a..." She yelled then stopped short cutting herself off. "You know what yeah go outside."

"Deal with a what Maggie?"

"Nothing." She turned and practically ran up the stairs. I stared after her a moment and I could feel Rick boring a hole into the side of my head with his eyes.

"Daryl I think you need to talk to Hershel." Rick stated standing from the uncomfortable chair.

"It can wait." I stalked outside to help Pat with the rocks for the grave marker for Otis. I couldn't deal with Hershel now, knowing how much pain I caused her by staying gone. "I thought I was doing what was best for her." I told Pat as we pilled the rocks up near the big oak tree.

"Oh sweet heart." she started, pulling me in for a hug. "Beth was a big girl she wasn't as bad off as Maggie proclaims. Maggie is just angry because she missed you too. We all did. When we lost Annette and Shawn at the beginning of this Maggie took a bit of a weird turn where she is trying to find someone to blame."

"Shawn and Annette are gone." I said sadly, realizing I had yet to see them out in the fields.

"Yes, Shawn was bit by one of those people and then he got really sick. Annette would leave his side and..."

"I know what happens next."

"Sweet heart there is something you need to know but you need to talk to Hershel."

"Everyone wants me to talk to him but I can't bring myself to face him not yet."

"PATTY!." A small girl called from a few feet away. She ran over to us and looked up at me before looking back over at Pat.

"Sydney what are you doing out here?"

"Grandpa sent me to bring you in for dinner, Auntie Maggie made sandwiches." I looked down at the girl with dirty blonde hair and big blue eyes confused. "You need to come in too. He wants to talk to you but he can't leave that boy's side yet." She said looking me dead in the eyes.

"Come on then Daryl let's go get sandwiches." Pat said placing her hand on my back and guiding me towards the house. I tried to fight it but it was useless. The little girl named Sydney grabbed a hold of my hand to help pull me along.

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"Daryl it's good to see you again." Hershel said sitting next to me in the living room. I nodded my head deciding to keep quiet. My thoughts were racing around in my head about the girl I met. "We need to talk about Sydney."

"That's the kid that came out to get us." I asked.

"Yes."

"What about her."

"What do you see when you look at her Daryl." Hershel questioned in that fatherly tone of his. I nearly shuddered with fright at his question.

"I don't know, she looks 7 or something."

"She's 10 as of this year." He told me.

"Okay."

"What else?" He probed.

"She looks like her."

"Beth."

"Yeah."

"You don't say her name?" He questioned me.

"I try not to. Hurts too much." I confessed, glad that no one else was around.

"The day you left, as the truck vanished down the road Beth cried out. She wanted me to get you back for her. She..."

"Maggie already..."

"No Daryl just listen a moment. She also got sick that day. As she was crying out trying to get you to come back by pure will power she threw up."

"She had been feeling sick that week." I mentioned remembering back to all those years ago.

"Yes Annette and I took her to the doctor after another week of feeling sick." Hershel explained.

"Sydney is her kid isn't she?" I asked him quietly

"Yes." He stated bluntly.

"She's 10 which means... Oh my god." I stood up faster than I thought possible and spun around to face the man who I thought of like a father. His face was kind and patient as he let me process what had become my life. "No. We were always safe."

"Things happen Daryl."

"How are you so calm about this I knocked up your 16 year old daughter and then left her. I didn't come back because I thought she was better off that you all were. Everything my father had told me over the years was re-ingrained in my head. I was never good enough for her and no I have proven it." I went on. I looked up and spotted Sydney watching from the doorway.

"Daryl that is enough. You are good enough. If ya weren't I would have gotten rid of you long before you even had a chance to share intimate times with my daughter. She loved you, we all love you here Daryl. I don't want to hear any more of this self doubt crap. Now you can run off to the woods and hide from everyone or you can stay and get to know her." He said.

"I ain't cut out for being a dad Hershel, I'll just screw her up."

"I doubt that."

"I'm really easy to handle, I don't like to cause a fuss for everyone." Sydney said walking into the room fully. Her hair was pulled up into a ponytail with a small braid just like her mom used to wear. "Let's start over. Hi I'm Sydney." She said holding her hand out.

"You know who I am?"

"You don't get this game do you?" She asked shaking her head. "I do know who you are. Mom used to show me your picture every night before bed. She would tell me stories about you and all the fun things you guys did." She explained.

"Oh."

"If we had the TV working I could show you all the videos that mom and nana took of me growing up so that when you did come back you could see and not miss anything." I slumped down into the sofa again, placing my head in my hands a tear slipped from my eye.

"Sydney why don't you run upstairs and play with your dolls for a little while." Hershel asked her.

I could hear her foot steps get closer to me and then a small warm hand touched the back of my hand. "You don't have to be sad daddy. Mom is strong and I just know she's out there somewhere." My head shot up as the word daaddy rolled out of her mouth. She leaned in and kissed my cheek before bolting up the stairs to her room.

"Daryl are you okay." Hershel asked as I placed my hand on my cheek.

"I don't know. I think I need to go set up my tent." I stood to leave when he grabbed my arm.

"You can stay in the house if you want. Her room is just as she left it."

"No I can't do that." With that I took my leave and went outside into the fresh autumn air.

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"There are walkers in the barn." Glenn announced. Maggie looked at him with daggers in her eyes. If looks could kill he would be one dead asian. Over the last few days I had gone back out to keep looking for Sofia. Carol was losing hope as each day passed and I was look for a way to avoid Sydney and the questions I knew she had building up inside her. I could tell she was bursting with them just by looking at her face. Beth would get the same look before flooding me with stupid questions.

"What?"

"That is none of your concern Rick." Hershel said sternly.

"They are dangerous. What if they get out?" Rick asked concerned.

"My people are out there in tents while walkers are locked up a few feet away. Why?" Rick questioned in anger.

"Calm down I'm sure he's got a good reason." I told the group.

"Those are my family and friends in there. Someone will come along with a cure and I want my wife and my step son back."

"Hershel can I talk to ya a minute?" I asked.

"Just say whatever it is you gotta say." He saide sounding defeated a little.

"They ain't comin' back Hershel. They are gone. Those things they don't come back and they don't get better."

"You don't know that." He barked.

"You really wanna risk it with Sydney here?" I asked him looking over to the stairs where I knew she was listening, a habbit she got from her mother. "You wanna risk them getting out and getting in this house. Havin' Shawn or Annette be the one to get up the stairs and get to her?"

"That's not..."

"Sir it's time to let em go." I told him. He shook his head standing up from his place on the sofa in the white washed living room.

"Well I ain't sitting around here with them bastards so close." Shane announced as he grabbed a pair of bolt cutters from Dale's bag by the door. Everyone followed him out side as he marched up to the barn doors. Screams and cries filled the air as everyone protested his move to unleash them on the farm.

"SHANE DON'T." I yelled but I was too late, the doors were open and walkers ambled out quickly. Rick and those I arrived here with pulled their guns and began to drop the oncoming walkers. I looked to Hershel for permission, he nodded his head accepting what I had to do. I helped the group put down the last of the walkers including the man I thought of as more of a brother then my actual brother and the woman who cared for me as if I was her own son.

"NOOOOO." Sydney ran forward from the house to where her grandmother lay dead on the ground. Without thinking I bolted forward and pulled her into my chest shielding her from the carnage around us. She turned in my arms and buried her face against my chest as my held her tightly to me. "No. no no no." She whimpered as her tears began to subside. It was then that Sofia wandered out of the barn. Carol screeched bloody murder as Rick pulled the trigger to end the young girl once and for all. I closed my eyes and placed my face on the top of Sydney's head. An image of his own child who he was just getting to know flashed in his mind, an image of her just life Sofia with a chunk missing from her shoulder and her eyes clouded over with death. I squeezed her a little bit tighter.

"Come on let's go inside alright." I said ushering the still whimpering girl into the farm house. Hershel, Maggie, Jimmy and Patricia followed behind while the rest of my group stayed outside to clean up the mess.

"Daddy she's gone. Really gone this time." Her watery blue eyes looked up at me, sadness shone in them and I thought for a moment that maybe Beth had this look on her face when I left.

"It'll be okay kid."

"Please don't leave me." She said through hiccups.

"I ain't goin nowhere not ever again."

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"Hershel is missing." Rick stated the next morning as he walked int the front door of the farmhouse. I had spent the night on the window seat I slept on all those years ago in Beth's room as Sydney took over the big queen sized bed. I had tried to retire to my tent the night before but she wasn't having any of that.

"What do you mean missing?" I demanded trying to move a little bit out of Sydney's tight death grip on my arm.

"I mean Maggie went into his room this morning and found stuff packed away and him gone. No one has seen him." Glenn said freaking out.

"Alrigh' I'll go get him."

"Wait you've seen him?" Maggie questioned coming into the room.

"Not today but I think I know where he is." I told the trio. "The bar."

"Why would he go into town?"

"His wife just..." I started. "Listen I just gotta hunch. Syd I gotta go for a bit. I'll come back you stay here with Aunt Maggie."

"No please don't leave me."

"Kid I gotta go find yer grandpa okay. You will be just fine I promise." I told her even though I know making promises in this world or any really is stupid.

"Last time you left you didn't come back." She cried. My heart broke at her words realizing what kind of pain I had caused all those years ago. But logic won out.

"Technically last time I left I was in the woods for a few days and I did come back." her face went straight for a moment as she took in my words. "How about I take Glenn here with me and he can help watch my back."

"Okay." She let go of my arm for the first time since we got up this morning and moved to stand with Maggie. Glenn followed me out to one of the old car's parked out front. The one Hershel taught me to drive in.

The trip into town was quiet as Glenn had no idea what to say for once. I was pretty thankful for that. Very few walkers lingered about which made getting to the only bar in town easy. I pushed open the wooden door and looked straight ahead to the stool I knew to be his favourite. "Hershel what are ya doing here."

"Go away."

"Nah man, I can't do that." I said.

"Hershel your family is worried about you." Glenn piped in.

"I got nothing left to live for Annette she is gone. Everyone will be gone soon." Hershel said pathetically. I walked around to the other side of the bar and picked up an old bottle of bourbon.

"That's bullshit an you know it. Ya got Maggie and Sydney to live for. Ya really want them to lose you too after they just lost Shawn and Annette and..." I yelled.

"Better now than later." came his stubborn reply.

"No that's crap." Glenn added.

"Why ya gotta be so stubborn. All you Greene's are the same ya know." I said matter of fact.

"It's in the blood." He mumbled taking another shot of whatever whiskey he was drinking. I turned and poured the bottle in my hands out. "Why do ya want me to go back anyway it can't just be for the girls."

"Yer right. While they need ya Hershel, so do I." Glenn stood off to the side silent as he listened. He was gonna get to know the mysterious Daryl Dixon today. I just hope he keeps his trap shut to the others. "When I was little and your youngest daughter wanted to bring home the town drunk's bratty good for nothin kid you didn't bat a damn eyelash. When my pa would hit me you would let me stay over even after Beth and I started dating and you knew we were active. The time my ma burned to a crisp in our house and I ran over to you..." I went on.

"Son..."

"Nah let me finish cause I ain't gonna say it again." I told him. "You and Annette were better to me than anyone in my entire fucking family. Annette wouldn't want ya to give up just cause she's gone. After yer first wife ya got yerself together, you can do it again. And Shawn, he worshipped the ground you walk on. He would want you to take care a Maggie and I may not know what he was like with Sydney but I know he would want ya to watch out fer her too."

"Shawn loved you Daryl, he loved Beth and he loved Sydney."

"I remember when he tattled on me about my dad hitting me." I laughed a little. "I was so mad."

"But he did it because he wanted it to stop." Hershel explained. "Alright I see your point." He stood to leave when the door banged open.

"What do we have here." one of two men said as they entered.

"We were just leaving." Hershel told them.

"Now is that any way to say hi to new friends."

"We ain't your friends." I told them.

They talked a big game but in the end we managed to outsmart them and put bullets into their heads. The drive back to the farm was kept silent aside from the screaming kid who we picked up off a damn picket fence. He had come with the other guys and had fallen off a damn roof. We couldn't risk him following us with any more of his buddies so we had to blindfold him and shove him in the back seat.

"Rick we gotta problem." I said walking up to the group leader who was standing looking at his son on the porch. He followed me down to the car and Glenn opened up the back to reveal the kid whose name I learned was Randal.

"Lock in in the shed and we will deal with it." Shane said coming to stand next to us. Lori stood off to the side looking sick to her stomach.

Later that night I was laying on the window seat looking at the wall of pictures in Beth's room. Light from the moon illuminated everything enough to be able to see her face clearly. My eyes were slowly closing when Sydney screamed loud and sat straight up in bed. I rushed over to her side to see what was wrong. "Syd?" I had taken to calling her that since she seemed to like it.

Her arms flung around me as she held on tightly. I circled her with my own stronger arms and let her shake out whatever nightmare she had been having. "It was so scary." She panted in fear.

"What was?"

"Mommy was one of them." She cried.

"Hey, hey now we don't know what happened to mom you can't be thinking about that okay." I tried my best to sooth her. This whole parenting thing was a lot harder than I thought.

"I guess I lied when I said I was easy to deal with."

"Nah yer fine kid just scared is all."

"Will you lay with me until I fall asleep?" She asked in a small quiet voice. I moved her over and lay down with my head on Beth's pillow, the smell of her perfume still clung to it like it did all those years ago. Honeysuckle and peaches, I guess somethings never change. Sydney snuggled in close against my side and laid her head on my chest. Soon her soft snores filled the room and her breathing evened out. I passed out soon after. Forgetting to move to the window as I was enveloped with dreams of Beth and the smell of honeysuckle.

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"What are we gonna do with that kid. We can't just let him go, he knows Maggie and that means he knows where the farm is."

"Yeah and his friends were not good guys." Glenn said to the group. We all sat gathered around the living room to discuss what to do about that kid Randal.

"We kill him." Shane put in.

"Shane we don't just murder people." Rick told his former deputy. Lori looked at Shane then with a mix of emotions on her face. We all knew something had been going on between them before Rick came back from the dead. Her face now confirmed it even further.

"Rick when will you understand that the world is different now. Nobody is a damn good guy and nobody gets out clean." Shane told his 'best friend'.

"You guys decided, I'm going for a walk." I took my leave. The fresh air hit me like a wave of greatness. Then I heard running. I pulled my crossbow forward ready to shoot when I realized it was just Carl.

"Woah kid what's with the rush?" I asked him as he pulled to a stop in front of me. My crossbow lowered now as the threat was gone. The look of guilt plastered on his face told me a great deal before he spoke aloud.

"I did something really bad..."

 **New chapter is here yay. I have more written so I will be working to edit and hopefully post once or twice a week. Please review and let me know what you think I really love hearing what everyone has to say whether it is good or bad. If you have critiques you can leave them as well it helps to make me a better writer.**

 **Thank you all!**


	4. The Farm Cont

**Hey everyone, thank you so much for your kind words and reviews on this story so far. Information to answer all of your Beth questions will be coming in a few chapters. I have this story all mapped out and so you just have a few more chapters of Daryl to get through before we find out what happened to Beth while she was in New York when the world went to hell!**

"I did something really bad..."

"What the hell did you do Carl?" I asked him trying not to get angry with him. He pulled a gun from behind his back, it was then I noticed it was my gun he had. "You stole from me?"

"I'm sorry, I wanted to go out and take down a walker but I got scared and ran away from it. It's still stuck out there in the mud somewhere. I am so sorry Daryl."

"Well it ain't hurtin nobody stuck in the mud. But I'm tellin yer pa."

"No please don't tell him he will kill me."

"Too bad, stealin is serious and you could have gotten yerself killed. Then what?" I went on.

"Then mom and dad would be mad." He conceded.

"Nah kid they would be furious. Now ya gonna do it again?"

"No sir."

"Good now run along." I stuck the gun in the back of my pants and went off to search for Rick to tell him what happened. I soon found him pacing in front of the worn wooden steps leading up onto the porch. "Rick you alrigh'?" I asked him as I come to a stop in front of the steps.

"Nah I think something is goin' on with Lori. She has been acting weird ever since I came back from the dead." He said like this was a normal conversation. He stopped his pacing to look me in the eyes while we talked. "You alright Daryl?" He turned the tables.

"Yeah but I gotta talk to ya about Carl."

"What about him is he okay?" Rick rushed out with worry in his tone. Worry I now slightly understand.

"He's fine. He came up to me a few minutes ago to give me my gun back." I stated.

"Your gun?"

"Yeah he took it from the bike and went off into the woods. He didn't end up killing the walker he came across, left it stuck in the mud."

"Jesus Christ. I'll have a talk with him. I am sorry he took it." Rick told me.

"No matter no. He didn't get hurt but Rick if there are walkers around then we gotta do something to keep this place safe. There are no walls or fences to keep em out and I don't want this place overrun."

"I'll talk to Hershel and see what he says on the matter. Ya wanna come with me since he seems to like ya the best?" He questioned with humor in his voice.

"I'll come. Let's go to him now." I said. "Winter is coming and it's starting to get to cold to be in tents."

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"Boys." Hershel said by way of greeting as Rick and I said at the big kitchen table in the dining room. "What can I do for you?"

"We are wondering what your thoughts on securing this place are?" Rick hurried out.

"This place is fine."

"There are no fences or walls to keep walkers from wandering onto the property, you alright if we build some?" I asked the man who I always thought of as a father. His grey hair sat neatly on his head and his beard was trimmed up nicely.

"Do you think that will work?" Hershel questioned back.

"Not forever but we can't just stay exposed."

"And I was wondering if we could move our tents into the barn for added cover due to the impending winter?" Rick put in.

"That will be fine. Do what needs done." He replied standing from the table and walking into the kitchen. I stood soon after and went outside to survey the land, something I have done many times over the years. The sun was setting and the chilly evening air was setting in. "Daryl they want to talk about that Randall kid." Hershel said from the door. I headed inside to listen in on the conversation.

"We can't just kill the boy." Dale started, his eyes huge and that dumb hat almost falling off his head in his anger and disgust at the group and their decision to just kill the kid.

"We can't let him go and we can't risk letting him join us." Shane nearly yelled.

"Why not, he could be a good valuable member of the group." Dale argued.

"Or he will kill us and rape the women and the kids, what do you think he would do to the kids?" Shane put in a little more calmly.

"Daryl what do you think?" Rick asked turning the attention on to me. If looks could kill he would be dead for sure. I shifted on my feet, all eyes were on me expectantly. Dale looked at me hopeful.

"Don't want that kid around Sydney. Sorry Dale, I agree with Shane on killing him. He's gonna die in this world anyway we all are. Might as well protect ourselves and our families first."

"I thought you of all people would think differently." He muttered.

"Why because I'm some low life redneck who people don't and shouldn't give a crap about. Then tell me old man why the hell did ya ask me and Merle to tag along with ya. Huh."

"That's not what I meant."

"The hell it ain't." I spit back. "The kid dies in my opinion."

"Alright everyone raise your hands if you are in favour of humanly ending Randall's life?" Rick asked. All hands but Dales raised high in the air.

"When did we become these people." Dale muttered and walked off into the dark night.

A short time later a shot rang out and Dale's screaming could be heard. The room full of people bolted out the door. "Carl and Sydney you stay here don't move." I yelled hoping to keep them in the house and away from whatever was happening in the dark outside. I ran over to the group of people to find Dale lying on the ground his insides ripped out through his stomach. A dead walker lay a few feet away next to a dead cow. His cries of pain were getting louder and would soon attract more walkers. Rick stood above him unsure. I pulled the belt from the back of my pants, aimed and fired. I looked to my left to see Carl and Sydney standing there watching in horror. "Damn it, I said stay in the house." I growled out. I looked at Carl as he should have known better. The look on his face told me all I needed to know. I walked quietly over to the two ten year olds. "Carl is that the walker from the woods?" He just nodded his head up and down furiously. "Go on git back to the house. Both a ya." I followed them back to the house to let the others deal with the mess.

"Sydney you alright?"

"That man is dead and he was..." She said her voice nearing hysterics. I reached a hand out to place on her shoulder in what I hopped was a comforting way.

"He is gone now. The world is not like it was before things now are ugly all the time." I told her looking into her blue eyes that matched my own perfectly.

"Mom would say that somethings are still beautiful but not that."

"Yer mom did always see the beauty in everything." I said sitting down on the sofa.

"Do you think that same thing happened to her?" Sydney questioned. Her voice small.

"Nah I think she just got sick and slowly and quietly went."

"I hope so." She said sitting down on my knee. "Are you okay?" She asked me sweetly, her eyebrow quirked up like her mother always did.

"Yeah just never had someone other than yer ma this close to me." I confessed to bright eyews ten year old.

"Oh." She whispered before throwing her arms around my neck and holding on tightly. "Well get used to lots and lots of hugs." She giggled. "Will you stay with me tonight."

"Course." I replied.

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We held a quick memorial for Dale the next day and then everything was back to normal. Rick and Shane were busy trying to figure out the best way to get rid of the kid. I found it best to stay out of their way and focus on getting to know Sydney better, after all she is my kid and that becomes clearer and clearer everyday that we are together.

"Okay well what do you wanna know?"

"Everythin I guess." I stated as we sat on the floor of her bedroom, a few dolls and books scattered around her.

"Um well my favourite color is Greene like moms last name and the forest. I love the forest and being in the trees with all the animals." she started. "I was in dance class with my friends before grandpa said we had to stay on the farm. I also play the piano. Not as good as mom but I was getting there."

"Why was yer ma in New York?" I had to ask. The question has been eating away at me ever since Maggie first mentioned where Beth was when all this shit went down. I braced myself for the answer.

"She was there looking for an apartment for us to live. She got a job with the production of Spring something on Broadway. She said it was time to go, we couldn't keep waiting here for you to come back to us and she got the part in the play and she knew she had to take it even if it meant moving me from all my friends." Sydney explained.

"Were ya mad at her for planning the move?"

"A little, I didn't want to go but Uncle Shawn said it was best for her and that I would learn to love the big city and all the plays and the subway and he went on and on and on and on."

"Shawn did talk a lot." I agreed and she nodded her head up aqnd down quickly. "She always wanted to see that city, she talked about it all the time."

"Oh I hate spiders and snakes." She piped in changing the subject from the topic it had gotten to. "But I love birds." I grinned at her, happy to know that she was a lot like Beth in the way she talked and smiled all the time. "My friends and I used to play a game that mom taught me, we would be on the old wooden playground at school..."

"The lava game?"

"Yeah you know it?"

"Yer mom taught me when we first met. She said that she made up all the rules and it was fun. We played that game almost everyday for years."

"It is the best. You wanna play?" She asked in a coy voice. I looked at her deadpan before breaking out into a smile. "Alright no play ground so you can be on the steps and the porch or on puff of grass. The dirt is lava and you will burn." She giggled evily. I followed her down stairs and out side.

"THE LAVA MONSTERS DECEND!." She hollered as she jumped down to a patch of longish grass near the stairs to the porch. I hopped down to the bottom step and placed my crossbow onto the railing.

"Syd we will never survive this lava we must learn to fly."

"But the Lava monsters will prevent us from flying, they want to burn our toes and collect them."

"Collect them?" I asked.

"My rule I put in. No flying allowed."

"Alrigh' well then how oh how will we ever escape." I said jumping to a nearby patch of grass. My knees cracking with the landing. She giggled furiously as she hopped around from patch to patch. A noticed out of the corner of my eye the group slowly coming to stand around and watch. "HEY ANYONE STANDING ON DIRT AFTER 5 SECONDS IS BURING IN LAVA SO FIND A PATCH OF GRASS OR THE STEPS OR THE PORCH. YER ALL PLAYIN THIS GAME NOW." I called out. Soon everyone even Shane was scrambling to find themselves on grass or hard surface.

The first one to fall victim to the lava and it's cruel monster was Andrea followed shortly by Carol and T-dog. Soon Enough it was just Maggie, Sydney, Carl, and myself left to battle it out. "Daryl you sure are good at this game." Lori called out from her spot in the makeshift heaven as syd had called it. Really it was just a spot in the shade under a tree.

"He should be, him and Bethy created the game when they were what five?" Maggie giggled out.

"She created it and just got me to play it and yeah five." I answered back. Sydney jumped and took over the grass patch Maggie stood upon, effectivly knocking her out of the game as Carl made monster noise.

"One down two more to go." Sydney said in a sing song voice, the evilness hidden behind sunshine.

"You think yer gonna win kid?" I asked.

"Yeah if yer knees keep making those noises." She chuckled before distracting Carl with a thrown rock.

"Hey you cheat!" Carl called out.

"You can't cheat if you make the rules. My mom always told me that." She said from the safety of her grass patch.

"Alright kid jus you and me now." I told her in as playful of a tone as I could. She began hopping and jumping from step to grass to steps again and before I knew it I was sprawled out on the dirt overed ground and Carl was in the background making burning and monster noises.

"Good game huh dad." She giggled from above me, she stuck her small hand out as if she were going to help me up. I shock her hand and nodded my head.

"Good game."

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"That was probably the sweetest thing I have ever seen." Lori said standing beside Rick in front of me.

"I don't wanna talk about it."

"Why you are being a great father to that little girl." Rick told me.

"Well what's happening with Randall?" I asked changing the subject. He looked at me with humor in his eyes but took the change and ran with it.

"Shane and I are going to go out and set him free in the woods."

"What happened to killing him."

"Are we really that kind of people that we just murder someone?" Rick questioned. "I know what we are risking but Dale died because of all this."

"No Rick Dale died because of that walker. It was the same walker that Carl had been messing around with in the woods the other day."

"You sure?"

"Yeah he confirmed it." I mentioned.

"Wait what are you talking about?" Lori pipped in with confusion.

"I'll explain later. Right now we gotta deal with Randall." He stalked off leaving Lori standing in front of me with a bewildered expression.

"You should talk to Rick when he gets back." I said to her before stalking off towards the familar farmhouse. Sydney rushed out the front door with a determined look on her face. "What's wrong." I asked her as she pushed past me in a fit.

"Go away." She called as she headed for the barn, the sun was begining to set in the east. I could hear Rick and Glenn calling for my help with the Randall situation.

"Sydney what's going on?" I questioned holding up a hand to the guys telling them I'd be there in a minute.

"It's dead, the battery is dead." She cried out.

"What battery?"

"The battery in the video of mom's audition tape. It was all I had left and now it's gone." Her tears were flowing freely down her face. I moved to embrace her but she wiggled away. "I never should have shown you that now it's dead." She ran past me this time back towards the house.

"I'll be back soon and then we will talk about it alright." I told hers. She just pushed open the large front door ignoring me. I set off to the edge of the woods with a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach. I hated to leave things with her like that. Thoughts of the last time I saw Beth rushed into the forefront of my mind. The sound of her tears as I relented and went with my brother easier than I should have. Why didn't I fight him harder, why couldn't I have found a way to stay with Beth, with our family.

"Hey Shane went ahead of the rest of us. We gotta find them." Glenn said bringing me back to the present time. We walked throughout the woods taking in every inch of the underbrush. "Over here." Glenn said to me. I looked over to his direction and saw him looking down at a body. I soon realized it was Randall I was looking at.

"Where's the bite mark?"

"I don't see one." He said.

"He turned with a snapped neck not a bite." I pointed out even though I'm pretty sure Glenn had already figured it out as well. "I think Shane killed him. We gotta find Rick."

"No we gotta go back to the house. Watch our people. Rick can handle himself." We started the trek back towards the house to tell the others what we found out. When we approached the porch Lori was pacing back and forth calling out for Carl. Carol was trying to calm her and everyone else was standing around unsure of what to do to help. "Sydney."

"I'm here daddy." She said quietly from the front door. "I'm sorry I got mad."

"It's alright kid." I replied to her.

A single shot rang out in the distance...

 **Well here is the next chapter. I hope you all enjoyed it. please leave me a review to let me know what you thought. New chapter coming soon and I promise we will get to Beth chapters soon!**


	5. Rewind: Daryl

**I have a few smaller chapters that will pop in here and now to give insight into the missing years between when Daryl left the farm with Merle to the ZA when he returns. The chapter below give a better explination as to why he never returned or contacted Beth even though he loved her more than anything.**

 **As always I hope you all enjoy and please let me know what you are thinking about this story whether you like it or hate it or think I could do something better. I love hearing comments as they help to improve my writing skills and technique. Virtual hugs to everyone!**

We pulled up to a shitty trailer in a small town four counties away from home. The white panelling reminded me of the crap hole we moved into after mom had died. I shuddered at the thought of keeping on like this. Merle practically slithered from the driver's seat and up to the front door. " Darylena get yer scrawny ass in here and make dinner." He hollered and it was like living with my pa all over again.

"Fine." I called back walking slowly to the front door. I knew from years and years of growing up with my old man that it was best to just do what I am told and not make a fuss.

As I worked away in the small kitchen I let my mind wander back to Beth. The girl who stole my heart all those years ago and never gave it back. I knew now that she never would and I would never let myself get close to anyone ever again. I thought about finding a payphone and calling her just to see how she is doing but then thoughts of her moving on and that whole family just being thier happy selves clouded my mind. I handed Merle a sandwich and took off into the woods behind the trailer park.

The woods worked their magic on me, bringing a calm I hadn't felt all day. Birds chirped somewhere in the distance above me and if I listened close enough I could hear the sounds of the woodland creatures going about their business. I wandered along at a leisurely place, letting my mind fill with memories of hiking with Beth and hunting with Shawn and Hershel and the odd time Otis joined us. After my mom died I thought they would stop talking to me just like everyone else always did, but Beth and her family they were the best things to ever happen to me.

I walked back into the trailer to find Merle sitting spread eagle and almost naked on the dirty stained sofa with the idiot box on as loud as possible while some shitty TV show played. "Where the hell ya been baby brother?" Merle slurred before taking another swig of what is probably warm beer.

"Out for a walk."

"Ya didn't call that little bitch a yers did ya? I told ya to cut off from them people."

"Nah I was in the wood and you took my phone."

"Good ya know them people ain't really thinkin' a ya like family brother. They think ya the charity case. That damn blondie she don't really love ya only I love ya baby brother and you know it." He started yapping. "She don't want ya never really has and don't try foollin' yerself inta thinkin she dose. Ain't no one lovin' a Dixon."

I didn't dignify his words with a response instead I went to the tiny ass bathroom to take a shower and wash this horrible day away.

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The next day I went to the high school to enroll, a part of me knowing it wouldn't last very long while the other part wanted to finish and get that diploma so one day I might be worth something to someone. Hell maybe even worth something to myself. As soon as I enrolled Merle pulled up in the parking lot in his pick up truck and told me to un-enroll myself because to him school was worthless and we would be on the road to much to keep up with studies. I sullenly went back inside.

"I need to take back my enrolling or whatever you call it." I said in a defeated tone.

"Why?" The older receptionist said from behind her little desk. A desk she got because she probably finished all her schooling.

"My brother is my guardian and he doesn't want me in here."

"Do you want to be here?" She questioned.

"I only went to school as long as I did cuz my best friend was there but this is a new town."

"I asked if you want to go to school? Do you want to get your diploma?"

"Kinda." I mumbled. "Is there a way without comin' here?" I asked her.

"Do you have computer access?"

"I can get it."

"Well I can sign your up for online classes, we can start with one and have you finish right up to graduating level and then go onto the next. It might take a while depending how much time you put into it."

"alrigh' let's try it."

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Sneaking around to do these courses proved harder then I thought. Merle wanted me around all the time so he could keep an eye on me. After a month of trying I ended up quitting school all together and focused on hunting. I got a part time job at the local bike shop and saved up enough money to buy myself a pretty sweet crossbow, the sleek black edges and sharp bolts made hunting a whole new experience. The feel of the heavy metal in my hands and the swift release of the bolts felt like heaven in my new life.

I opened the door to the small wooden shedc on the back of the peice of land Merle owned and plopped the large buck onto the table inside. I made to grab the items for skinning and gutting but Merle's loud booming voice calling me made me stop in my tracks and turn around. A year ago when he took me away from my friends and from Beth I thought he couldn't possibly get any worse but as time has gone on he has proven me wrong.

"What'da'ya want?" I asked walking into the living room with quiet feet.

"Dinner brother. Get to it."

"Gotta skin the buck first." I told him.

"I don' want no venison I want that shit ya made yesterday."

"Ya couldn't just heat it up yerself?" I asked under my breath without thinking.

"What's that little brother? Huh ya wanna fight now? Gonna git yerself hurt real fast Darylena."

"Yer high?" I said forming it as a question even though I already knew the answer. I turned to the kitchen and tossed a covered dish at him with a plastic fork before trying to escape to the shed. He caught my face with his fist before I knew what was happening. I fel to the floor as he landed hit after hit, soon I regained my wits and pushed him off of me with all my force. He flew into the sofa with a thud landing on his ass. I stood up taller then before and peered down at him, a used needle sat to the side of the sofa with a bunch of pills. "I'm outta here." I yelled before scooping up my crossbow and taking off back into the woods. Screw the damn deer. Screw family. Screw everybody in the whole god damned world.


	6. Rewind: Beth

**Hi everyone thank you for all the reviews so far I am loving writing this story and I am loving hearing what you all think. So we have a few more chapters from Daryl's POV before we find out where Beth is in current time. Also once we get to her it will be a bit before they are reunited but I promise that once they are it is going to be well worth the wait. I have some really sweet moments cooked up in my head for them. Here however is a little flashback from Beth's POV. It is short but will lead into her stuff pretty nicely.**

 **As for Daryl not leaving his brother even though Merle was worse than his dad is because he always had the underlying thoughts that he wasn't good enough to even be friends with Beth let alone anything else. Merle kept putting those thoughts in his head making Daryl feel like he couldn't and shouldn't leave. It's all his own self-doubt.**

 **Please enjoy this little sneak into Beth's time after Daryl left.**

"Bethy you need to go to school." My mother said poking me in the side as I lay under my quilt I had taken from my bed in my room upstairs.

"I don't want to go."

"But you love school."

"Only because he was there and now he's not." I cried.

"Annabeth my darling I love you but you have been home sick for the last week and it is time you get your butt back to school and keep your grades up." She said in her mom voice. "Beside you are in the play and if you miss anymore rehearsals they will replace you."

"I called Ms. Kelp and quit already."

"Annabeth get off this couch now do you understand me. We all love Daryl and we all miss him but you cannot keep going like this. I will not let you throw your life away because you lost a boyfriend. Your father and I have both lost loves and now we are doing fine. You are sixteen get out there and live your life before I call Shawn and send you to live with him for a while."

"He was my best friend mom not just my boyfriend." I knew I was throwing a fit but I couldn't seem to being myself to care.

"I get it I do but he's not dead Beth he is out there somewhere probably missing you like you do him but right now you can't change that and you have no reason to hide." My mother pointed out, her tone getting weary.

"I'm pregnant mom."

"What?"

"I found out yesterday." I confessed. "It's why I have been feeling so sick lately."

"Oh Bethy." She said coming over and pulling me into her arms for a hug.

"I don't know what to do mommy." I cried into her shoulder. "I don't know if I can do this alone."

"My dear you are never alone, you will always have your father and I and your siblings. We are all here for you and we promise you will never be alone." She said patting my hair. "We need to tell your father."

"He's gonna be so disappointed in me."

"No sweetie, accidents happen and this is just a big life change that we will all get used to and deal with. Your father will only be disappointed if you send it away."

"I could never, this little dot inside me is part of him too. What if I never see him again? What if he never knows about it?" I wondered out loud my voice nearing hysterics. I stood up and followed my mother outside to the stables to find my dad. Fear took hold of my heart as we neared him. His whistling could be heard from outside, I readied myself as best I could and walked inside with my mother's hand gripped firmly in mine. "Daddy?"

"Yes doodlebug?"

"I need to talk to you about something and I don't want you to get angry or freak out at me." I started as tears welled in my eyes and my throat closed up around a sob.

"Bethy what's going on?" He asked with concern in his voice.

"Daryl and I had a bit of an accident, we um... I'm pregnant." I said just letting it out there. I held my breath as my words took hold in his mind.

"Did he know?"

"No he was gone before I found out." I explained. "Are you angry with me?" I questioned.

"I'm not angry with you Bethy, I couldn't get angry with you for this." I gave him a puzzled look so he kept going. "You my dear love that boy, you have since the moment you met him. I'm not dumb or blind, I know you had been active together. It may be really bad timing since your only 16 but my dear you made that child with love and while Daryl may not be here with us now, he will come back someday I have faith in that. No child created in love should be classed as a mistake or accident, that child will be happy and have everything it needs. Remember Beth you have all of us here who will help you through it."

"Oh daddy." I said moving quickly to him, my arms wound around his neck as I hugged him tightly.

"I love you doodlebug, were gonna get through this as a family."

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I made myself go to school for the next month, then my mother and Patricia worked out a homeschooling schedule for me to avoid me having to deal with the other students during my pregnancy. Of course news got around this small town really fast and every time I went anywhere I would hear the snickers and comments from others.

I walked into the pharmacy to pick up a few things for my mom when I ran right into Molly and Jimmy, the two people in school who tortured Daryl and I to no end. "Well well well if it isn't Juno." Molly commented in a sneer. "So your mommy let you out of the house even though your giant belly shows the shame your family now has."

I turned away hoping to avoid a scene, my hand automatically going to the large bulge on my front. "Come on Jimmy let's go." Molly said since she wasn't getting a response.

"You go I'll meet you outside I just gotta grab something." Her clicky heels left the aisle as I kept on looking at the label on a package I was picking up. "You okay Beth?" I spun around to face him.

"Are you really asking me that?"

"Yes?" He replied forming it as a question.

"Why do you care?" I questioned him.

"Listen I know I haven't always been the nicest guy but you don't deserve the crap that Molly and I have put you through. I'm sorry about it. All of it." He told me.

"What's the prank here Jimmy?"

"No prank Beth. I just really am sorry, and don't listen to Molly she's just..."

"A bitch ya I got that and don't worry about it. I never really ever listened to either of you or the shit you say to me." I whisper yelled. "You don't have to pretend to be nice to me just because I'm pregnant you know."

"I know."

"I'm fine."

"Okay." He said. I turned to walk away when he spoke up again. "If you ever need anything, I'm here and again I'm sorry I was an ass." I just kept walking towards the next aisle to finish my shopping.


	7. The Fall of The Farm

**Here is the next installment. A little bethyl goodie is at the end for everyone so warning if you don't like things to get heated.**

 **Let me know what you think! Thank you to everyone who takes the time to review the chapters it means so much to me. I read and re-read every single one of them and I try to respond to each as well.**

 **Only a few more Daryl Centric chapters to go before we find out where Beth is in current time!**

A single shot rang out in the distance pulling everyone's attention to the direction of the woods. Woods that I had spent so much of my young life wandering around in whether I was alone or with Beth. My mind drifted a little to the time when Beth and I were 10 years old.

 _"Come on Daryl we have to go into the woods where the mystical magic is. It will enhance my fairy powers and make my wings glow."_

 _"That's silly Beth."_

 _"I have my special fairy dress on shoes on so we mustn't let it go to waste kind hobbit friend."_

 _"I'm a hobbit?"_

 _"Yeah."_

 _"Alright let's go frolic or whatever." I said as we raced from the farm fields and into the waiting trees. The wind was blowing nicely as we danced through the trees singing a song she made up that day._

 _"You're my best friend Daryl forever and ever and ever."_

 _"Your my best friend too Beth all the time."_

 _"Good now we must go and fight the demon Rafe, he is the mighty tree demon who steals the soles of the rabbits." I laughed as I ran after her again._

I snapped back into reality everyone who had piled into the house was now pacing in the living room waiting for Rick and Shane to return and hopefully with Carl. "Daryl look." Maggie said quietly pointing out the window. Walkers began converging on the property.

"Let's get to work." I said before turning to Sydney. "You listen to Lori and stay here. If ya gotta go ya gotta go."

"I don't wanna leave without you." She cried as she tried to grip onto my jacket sleeve. I pried her hand off, not really wanting too.

"I know but I'm gonna try and save this place okay so ya gotta listen to Lori." I explained. "Keep her safe."

"Find my son."

"I'll do my best." I said before grabbing a short gun and heading out to my bike. Glenn and Maggie had hoped into the SUV and were popping off walkers left right and center. T-dog and Andrea were doin the same in the old blue truck but nothing seemed to be working. The darkness of night felt thick around me as I shot walker after walker hoping to make a dent in the onslaught of hell that we were in. I tried to compartmentalize and not think about Sydney and the danger she is in. I looked over to where I could hear screaming and saw Pat being ripped apart by a walker, her hand was still gripping Sydney tight. Fear wracked my frame as I swung my crossbow out to hit the walker that was getting too close. I looked back and saw Lori pull Sydney away and push her into the blue truck with T-dog. The truck sped away as I went back to the fight in front of me. Another scream rang out and I raced over to get to Carol who was running towards the bike. She hopped on and I sped away.

The long dirt road was full of walkers as we sped past, the light of a new day was starting to fill the sky. Carol held on tightly to my waist as we drove. I didn't know where to go or who all got out but I knew I needed to find Sydney. My life depended on it.

"Where are we going?" Carol shouted over the roar of the bikes engine.

"Don't know, gotta find her." I yelled back.

"Pull over a minute." She called out to me after a few beats. I did as she asked as we cleared away from all the surrounding walkers. I killed the engine and waited for her to either get off the bike or speak up. "We should go to the highway." She told me.

"What?"

"The highway that we left supplies for Sofia, everyone else will go there. Rick will go there."

"Don't care where Rick went, care where T-dog and Lori went."

"Lori would make T-dog go to the highway to find Rick and you know that." I pondered her words for a moment before bringing the bike back to life and speeding off towards the highway graveyard.

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The drive seemed to take longer than I would have liked as I prayed to a god I didn't fully believe in to make sure Sydney was alive and well and at the highway. I pulled up between two run down cars, shutting the motor off I practically jumped from the bike and ran over to the small girl with pale blonde hair who was waiting eagerly for me. Her arms were around my neck and I was holding her tightly too me before I knew it. "You okay kid?" I asked into her hair as I kissed the side of her head. An action I had never done before but felt so natural.

"Yeah I'm good, I'm so happy your here Lori said you might not a made it." She had tears falling from her blue eyes that reminded me so much of Beth. I held on a little tighter as I walked us over to Hershel and Maggie.

"Son, I'm glad you're okay. We should get going though it's not safe out here." Hershel said clapping me on the back. "I don't think she should go on the bike though."

"Yeah no. We can put it in the back of the truck." I replied. Glenn and Rick helped raise the bike into the trunk of the red truck and then everyone gathered into the two vehicles before heading out onto the open unknown road.

We stopped a few hours later as fuel ran out, the chill in the air was getting worse now that winter was setting in. "We gotta find shelter and clothes for this weather." I told rick from my spot in the back seat. Sydney was sleeping peacefully against my side.

"Yeah."

To the side was a quarry with old ruins that would be our resting place for the night. "It's gone." Sydney cried into my shoulder as we sat around the fire. Hershel sat on her other side with his hand on her back.

"What's gone Syd?"

"All the pictures and the videos of her songs. It's gone and she's gone and... and..." She said through sobs. I pulled her forward a little so I could look into her face, a face that looked just like her mother's back when she was that age.

"Yer mom ain't gone completely kid. She's right here." I said pointing to her heart. And ya might not be able to see her face or hear her voice but if ya keep her in yer memory you'll still be able to hear her."

"I'm starting to forget."

"Nah ya ain't not yet. That's the fear talkin. Trust me I have been there."

"Tell me about it?" She asked me.

"What about after I left the farm and your ma?" I question back.

"Yeah?"

"I was just livin with my brother and drifting from place to place. He kept sayin things that... things that I always thought deep down were true but managed to ignore for a long time." I told her.

"Like what son?" Hershel asked from next to us.

"Just stuff." I said. Most everyone was off sleeping now and it was just Hershel, Sydney, Maggie, Glenn and I.

"Daryl you can tell us?" Maggie chimed in.

"He told me over and over again that no could ever love a Dixon but a Dixon and other stuff that put doubts in my head because my pa used to say it all the time too." I explained, my face heated from embarrassment. "It's why I never came back."

"Were you planning on coming back before that?" Hershel asked.

"I left because I could see on Merle's face that he was going to do whatever he had to do to get me to go. That could have meant hurtin you guys. I couldn't let him do that so I left. When I turned 18 I planned on comin back just to see how everyone was but he kept that mantra in my head for years and then he started blaming his drug crap on me to the cops so I got into some trouble. I didn't wanna go back and see all of you. See Beth and Annette with that kinda record. I mean I know I never actually did anything but Merle he was worse than my pa." I stopped a moment before continuing. "I wasn't sure if he was gonna rebound and go after Beth that's part of why I stayed away."

"I'm sorry you had to go through that Daryl." Maggie told me.

"If I had known about you kid I woulda tried harder, fought those demons better."

"It's okay." She said snuggling a little closer. "You are here now and that's what matters."

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The farm was gone and everyone was cold. Rick and Lori were fighting before the sun even came up the next morning. Her voice booming in the empty landscape. I looked down to where Sydney was wrapped up in my coat to keep warm. Soon everyone was waking up to the sound of Lori yelling at Rick as he tried to quiet her down.

"Tell me what the hell happened Rick, where is Shane and why is he not with us?"

"He's gone Lor."

"Not good enough what happened? Did a walker get him?" She questioned. Everyone sat around watching the interaction, waiting to hear what he had to say. Rick and Shane had gone out into the woods to deal with Randall only Shane went ahead. Glenn and I had found the kids body but no bite mark.

"Rick this got anything to do with Randal being a walker but not havin any bite marks?" I asked and then received a glare from Lori for interrupting.

"Alright I guess it's time to tell you what Dr. Jenner said at the CDC. I didn't think it was true until it happened to Shane." He started. "We are all infected. We all carry whatever this is. If we die we all come back." Gasps filled the chilly air as everyone took in his words.

"And Shane?" Lori asked again.

"He came at me. He wanted you and Carl for himself. He gave me no choice."

"You killed him?"

"I stabbed him and he bleed out. He gave me no choice Lori."

"And then you shot him."

"No mom he had turned and I shot him." Carl told her. If her eyes could go any wider and any crazier they would fall out of her head. "I'm sorry I snuck out."

"You could have been killed do you hear me. You could have been killed."

"I know mom."

"And you. You killed your own best friend and had your son put him down after he turned." She stalked off towards the water. Rick didn't try to follow her, no one did.

"Rick?" I said standing up from my spot and walking over to Rick. I had to talk to him and find out what all happened and I had to do it away from listening ear. I directed him over towards the road.

"He came at me with a knife man I had to protect myself." He said. "I had to protect my family."

"I get it man I do. He was losing it." I replied. "I was listening to Patricia talk after I got back to the farm. I think Shane may have killed Otis, you did the right thing ending him. He needed to be stopped."

"Yeah."

"Listen Rick I don't know where we are going from here but we can't stay out in the elements. It's getting colder and being on the road with Lori pregnant and with Carl and Sydney we need some place safe and some place warm to hole up in for the winter." I explained.

"Ya got some place in mind?"

"I'm gonna go out scouting the woods see if I can find something." I started. "I need ya to keep an eye on Sydney. I know she's got Maggie and Hershel and I trust them but the more eyes the better."

"I won't let anything happen to her Daryl."

"Good. Now ya gotta do something about Lori and her screaming. Every damn walker for miles coulda heard her and we don't need another battle on our hands. We don't got the ammo or the strength to do that again. Not right now." I went on. He nodded his head in understanding before stalking over to where Lori now sat with Carl and Carol. I walked over to Sydney who was playing a game of rock paper scissors with Glenn and winning.

"Syd, I am gonna go hunting see if I can find anything. You gotta stay here and do what these three tell ya okay."

"Okay. Please come back." I nodded my head at her before looking at Hershel who then nodded his understanding.

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After the last few days of hell being alone in the woods again felt like heaven. I let the cold wind hit my face, waking me up even more than coffee ever did. The trees were almost completely bare with the impending winter doom but I didn't mind. I wandered around not really looking for anything in particular. Eventually I came across the tracks of a few rabbits who wouldn't have turned white just yet. Getting closer to the ground I silently followed and using my crossbow I shot through one and hit a second. Lucky shot.

As I kept walking I spotted an old barn up ahead. It looked stable and deserted. Getting closer to it I found it to be exactly as I thought. Empty and good enough for a night or two while we all collected our bearings and got ready to hit the road for the winter while searching for a more suitable place to call home. Who knows how long we will be living on the road for.

I made it back to the group a lot faster than I had left it. "Rick I found a place, it'll work for a few days." Everyone gathered up their meager belongings and followed me through the woods. "Got a coupla rabbits we can make em for dinner."

"Good. Thank you Daryl." Rick said from beside me.

We made camp inside the barn in the hay loft. No one wanted to sleep on the cold hard ground and walkers would have a harder time getting up here. Lori and Carol got to work cooking up the rabbits while Glenn, Rick and myself got to working up a plan to find a better shelter.

Rick took first watch so I lay down next to Sydney to try and get some sleep. Thoughts of all the what if's played around in my head as I tried to drift off. What if I never left? What if I had gone back? What if Merle wasn't such an ass?

Sleep eventually won out and my mind went back in time.

" _Daryl?" Beth questioned from her spot seated next to me on the rug covered floor of her bedroom in the farm house. Our homework was spread out all around us and soft music played in the background._

" _Yeah?" I asked back._

" _Are you going to get sick of me?"_

" _What kind of crazy ass question is that?" I said astonished. "I mean it's me that's gotta worry you'll come to yer damn senses." She crawled closer to me, placing her hands on the sides of my face._

" _I could never get sick of you or leave ya. I just worry that you're going to find some girl that's prettier and smarter than me and leave me." She said quietly._

 _I cupped her face in my hands, my thumbs trailing along her cheekbones. "I could never get sick of ya Beth. I love ya too damn much." Her mouth was on mine before I knew what was happening._

" _They won't be home for a while." She said pulling her tank top over her head and yanking my own shirt down my shoulders. Her small hands pushed me back until I was lying flat on the floor. The books and papers forgotten as she worked her hands over my chest. I lifted my head to meet hers in a kiss full of more passion than I have ever felt before. Her small breasts pressed against my bare chest making my penis even harder than it was a moment ago. She moved her hands down to my belt and began pulling my pants from my legs as I did the same to her. We sat there naked in her room a moment just staring at each other, taking it all in. She moved to her closet for a moment and pulled out an old shoe box. Inside I saw a small silver wrapper that I knew to be a condom, she pulled it out and tossed it to me._

" _You sure about all this?"_

" _Yes." She replied._

" _You know we don't have to right. I'm here no matter what."_

" _I know silly. I want to." She replied leaning over to kiss me again. I didn't ask anymore, I just went with it. I slid the condom into place before hovering over her, I placed gentle kisses from her mouth down to her stomach as her hand reached out and guided me to her entrance. This second time was even better than the first. I caught her moans in my mouth as we moved together perfectly. The friction between us building and the fire raging inside my stomach kept growing until I couldn't hold out any longer. Beth let get go just moment before I did._

 _We lay there panting on the floor of her room as we both worked to come down from the high of each other. After a few long moments the front door slammed and Maggie hollered up the stairs. We scrambled to re-dress and clean up our mess before anyone caught us. Lucky for us Maggie got a phone call which gave us a few more minutes to get back to our homework._

 _Smiling at Beth as Maggie entered the room, we had a new secret. "Hey mom wants to know what you guys want for dinner tonight?"_

" _Whatever she wants." We said at the same time._

" _It smells like sex in here." She commented. My face heated and so did Beth's. "Whatever just spray some perfume so dad doesn't find out." She said turning on her heel and left the room._

" _Busted." Beth laughed leaning into my side. I laughed with her, my cheeks going back to normal color. "I'll get the perfume."_

" _I'll open the window."_

I woke up with a smile on my face and my pants feeling tight. I cursed under my breath before heading out into the woods to take care of my little problem. Thank god no body followed me down here.

Today we would work on getting our strength up and then head back on the road to find some place better.

 **Leave a review and let me know what you think?**

 **Thanks a bunch**


	8. West Georgia Correctional Facility

**So this chapter has taken me some time to write as I have been having issues with it. So I have decided to skip over most of the winter and bring in two chapters into one. Let me know what you think.**

 **And because I forgot earlier…**

 **Disclaimer- I do not own anything. All rights to AMC and Robert Kirkman and of course the evil Gimple.**

"Up ahead, I think I see some of those old storage units. We could give them a try." Carol called back to the rest of the group. We had found some gas for the vehicles a few days earlier and were on the road looking for some place to stay long term. We ended up stopping to look at a map and see if there was anywhere else in the area to look.

"We should check it out. Daryl you and Glenn are with me. Everyone else stays here. Keep your eyes peeled." We followed Rick down the road to the fenced in storage units. "Maybe we can find a master key or something and pry these suckers open. Might not work too well as shelter but we could find some pretty useful stuff."

"Alrigh I'll check the office." I said walking over to the fence and climbing over. I kept my ear alert for any walkers and smashed open the window to the office so I could wiggle the door open. Sure enough today is my lucky day and the keys were easy to locate sitting on top of the cheap wooden desk. I scanned the area and made my way over to the high fence to let the others in. Without weapons held high we cleared the place of the few stray walkers milling about in the yard.

After 20 minutes all the red doors were open and the group was picking through items to see what would be useful. A few units were full of comfy furniture so we made camp for a few weeks. The weather was getting colder now and spirits were low.

"Daryl can I speak with you for a moment?" Hershel asked from his place on an old leather sofa in one of the units. I nodded my head and sat down opposite him. The few others who lingered in the unit soon disappeared to give us some privacy. "How are you doing son?"

"What do ya mean?"

"I mean how are you? I know all this can't be easy. One day you have no responsibility and the next you have a 10 year old who looks to you for all the answers, I know how tough being a parent can be Daryl. If ya need to talk, I am here to listen any time." I sat there quietly for a while pondering his words.

"What if I screw her up?"

"If anything is going to screw her up it's this world not the people in it that she is close to." He replied.

"I missed all those big important things like her walking and talking. Things that Beth would have been so happy to see."

"Son is it the things you missed that you're upset about or is it Beth?" Hershel questioned. I looked down at my boots for a moment before speaking again.

"All of it. The look in her eyes, I can see it in my mind, ya know the sparkle or whatever. Syd looks so much like her it's insane." He chuckled lowly. "Do you think we are gonna find Beth in all this mess one day?"

"Sadly I don't think I will ever see my little girl again."

"Do ya think she's up there hating me for not goin' back?" I asked him, my head falling.

"No Bethy didn't have a hateful bone in her body, you know that. She couldn't even bring herself to hate Merle for taking you away. She tried oh she tried hard but she always seemed to find the good and forgiveness in everyone." He explained.

"Merle don't deserve her forgiveness." Came my short reply. "Thanks for the talk but I gotta go clear my head." I stood to leave when he spoke again.

"Daryl don't beat yourself up over the past. It can't be changed now, just look forward to the times you have ahead of you. Sydney loves you more than anything."

I whirled around again to face him. "Why, I ain't never been there. I don't get why she is even givin me the time a day let alone call en me daddy and lookin to me for answers. I don't get it."

"Beth." He said simply.

"What?"

"Bethy spoke of you to her even before she was born. The stories of good times and all the things you and Beth did together. You may not have physically been there in Sydney's life until a few months ago but you have always been a part of her world. Photos and a few videos and all the stories." I stalked out of the unit and towards the main fence. I called over my shoulder to tell Rick I was going hunting and that I would return later. For now I had to leave. I had to escape the looks and whispers of the people I called family and the people who actually are. I need to get my head on straight, I need Beth.

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We didn't stay at the units long as the harshest winter Georgia had ever seen came in with a vengeance. We had to find a place warmer, some place long term. The winter lasted a long time and as the weather grew nicer Lori grew closer and closer to her due date. Rick's constant pacing and worrying was nerve wracking and Carl was getting more and more impatient with his parents and everyone was running on thin nerves.

The more we moved around the more Lori grew antsy. The worry lines marked her face were enough to worry everyone else.

"Hey Rick, come with me." I said gesturing him forward and into the trees. We walked along the train tracks a while until the building I found came into view below.

"Is that a prison?"

"Yeah it's the West Georgia Correctional Facility. Merle he was locked up here for a time, came to visit once."

"You know your way around in there?"

"Not well but I think if we work hard we can clear tha yard and sleep well tonight." I told him. After a few moments of silent thinking we headed back to the rest of the group to explain what was found.

"It's a prison." Carl commented as we all walked up to the gates.

"Yeah." Glenn cut a hole in the fence as we took on the walkers that followed us from the woods. Slipping into the first part of the fence was easy. The hard part will be taking out the walkers in the yard. With weapons in everyone's hands we got to work clearing the yard. It went a lot faster than I thought it would and soon everyone was sitting around a fire eating what little food we had left.

"I would love a big mac right now." Glenn spoke, causing the group to laugh. "I'm serious, I know it was the worst but god it was good."

"Tofu. I miss tofu." Lori said next.

"Gross mom." Carl chuckled wrinkling his nose.

"Mom's special spaghetti." Sydney said next. Maggie looked at her with sadness as she remembered her sisters cooking.

"Bethy did make the best spaghetti in three counties." Hershel told the group. "I miss Diana's burgers and fries."

"Oh yeah she made the best." Maggie replied to her father's comment. "I miss watermelon." I sat down next to Sydney.

"Annette's turkey dinners." I said quietly to the group. "Thanksgiving at your place was always the best meal of the year."

"Did she ever tell you her secret?" Hershel questioned me.

"Nah."

"Deep fried."

"What?"

"Nettie deep fried the turkey before everyone arrived, then she would keep it in the oven all day to stay warm so it appeared to have been cooked normally." He said through a chuckle.

"Sneaky." I told him. "

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The next morning we set in motion the plan to clear then inner yard and cell block C. We pushed forward and by noon had the area cleared. After some serious cleaning C block was livable. Everyone had picked out a cell to sleep in and started making it a home. "Daddy why are you not in a room with a bed?"

"Don't wanna be in a cell."

"Silly." She giggled before running off to find Carl. The light was starting to fade as night grew closer. I let my mind wander as I tried to fall to sleep.

 _The wind whistled through the trees on the edge of the Greene family farm land. Jasper the horse was beneath me as Beth Rode Nellie next to us. "I can't believe you got my ass on a horse Greene." I commented. Her musical laugh filled the air, I smirked at her as she looked over to me._

" _It seems I get you to do a lot of things you wouldn't have done without me." She remarked._

" _You have that effect."_

 _We stayed silent for a little while longer while the horses took us along the path._

" _When we grow up and are no longer defined by our parent's rules, what do you think our life will look like?" She asked._

" _I think you'll be in New York on Broadway or something."_

" _And you will be there two right?"_

" _I ain't goin' on Broadway girl."_

" _Not what I meant smart ass." She chided me._

" _Yeah I'll open up a mechanic shop or somethin'." I replied, her grin spread across her face shaming the sun once again with its beauty. "Why are ya smiling like that?"_

" _Because I love you."_

" _Love ya too."_

 _We rode the rest of the path and back to the stables in silence. It was never weird or awkward, just perfect._

The sun was bright as I woke up the next morning. All was silent around me, the panic within me rose to new heights as I looked around from my perch. "Syd? Rick?"

"Over here dad." Sydney called back. Iwent down the steps quickly looking for her. "Everything okay?"

"Yeah jus' quiet is all."

"Lori and Rick are outside with Carl trying to work on things and Grandpa, Aunt Maggie and Glenn are working on a plan to get to the cafeteria where there might be food."

"T-dog and Carol?"

"On watch in the tower." I plopped down on the floor beside her.

"Whatcha doin?"

"Rick found these pens and some paper this morning so I am drawing. I used to love making art before." She explained. "Mom would tell me that I was gonna be some big artist one day. Like Davinci or something."

"Looks good. Don't know about this davinci guy but I think your better."

"DAAAD. He created some of the world's most amazing paintings." She said exasperated.

"So."

"So that is a big deal I am so not better than him."

"I think ya are. Ya know why?" I asked.

"Why?" She asked.

"Cuz yer the daughter of Beth Greene and that makes you the best." I could see her fighting back tear as she thought of her mom.

"Well thank you."

I hugged her close before standing to go take a leak.

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The following weeks in the prison were hard. Everyone was adjusting and then Lori ended up dying from childbirth. Rick went nuts and Sydney took on the role of trying to care for the little baby. We told her she didn't have to but she insisted. Maggie and Glenn went out on a run to grab supplies for the lil ass kicker now named Judith after one of Carl's old teachers.

"Missing what do you mean missing?"

"I mean someone grabbed them." Rick stated as we gathered around in our makeshift breakfast room. "Michonne here knows where this guy took them."

"He works for this man who calls himself the governor. They have a town called Woodbury. My friend Andrea is still there."

"Wait Andrea? Blonde hair a little annoying at times." I asked.

"Yeah that's her. Anyway this man Merle she knew him from before. He is the one that took your people."

"Merle?"

"That's his name. He is this sly redneck with a bad attitude and one hand." She said.

"Damn it." I cursed. "Of course my damned brother had to be involved.

 **Woohoo cliffhanger. It's gonna flow a little more different from the show with how I handle Merle coming back.**


	9. Merle Dixon You Asshole

**New chapter in only a few days. I think you are all going to love this one. It moves through time quicker than I had planned originally but I felt that too keep the story from going stale it needed to be done. Anyway More Merle in this chapter. Ain't that fun haha.**

 **Let me know what you think of this chapter. More coming soon!**

"Merle Dixon is not somebody I wanted to deal with ever again." I stated to the group as we stood planning how to get Glenn and Maggie back.

"Does he know Aunt Maggie?" Sydney questioned.

"I doubt he remembers her but he does know Glenn." I told her. "We gotta go in there and get them out."

"Hershel, Carl, Sydney you three stay here with Carol and watch her." I started to say.

"I'm going with you." Michonne put in.

"I don't think so."

"Rick I am not staying here. I need to find Andrea and deal with him myself."

"That's a suicide mission." Rick stated.

"You don't know me. Why does it matter?" She asked.

"Because I can't let you go in half-cocked and get yourself or worse one of us killed." Rick told her. I had to agree with him. I had to get back from this trip. No way in hell I am letting Sydney grow up without both of her parents. As I got lost in my own thoughts they kept on arguing about whether or not she would go.

We ended up losing and Michonne was in the car heading to this town called Woodbury. The name made me cringe, it sounded too white picket fence like for my taste. The drive seemed to take forever, the trees passing by in a blur. The sun began to set as we neared the town. We snuck in through a hole in the panel and used darkness for cover. Soon we were inside a building to plan our next move. Shouts began to fill the air as our presence was made known. That kicked us into action.

We found a basement area rather quickly, Glenn and Maggie could be heard talking to each other quietly and her sobs echoed off the walls.

"Looky here." A very familiar voice said from somewhere behind me. I whirled around to face him.

"Merle."

"Darylena why you breakin' in here brother."

"Come to get our people."

"You mean the china man and his little hick girlfriend." He sneered.

"Just give us our people and you all can go back to your lives." I explained.

"Oh baby brother it doesn't work that way and you know it. The Governor won't let yall go back to livin' in our backyard. You best let us take care a your friends here while you join us. Gotta nice place for ya on the team."

"I don't want anything to do with this town Merle. Rick, the others they are my people." I told him. He gave me a strange look before he replied.

"I am yer damn flesh boy you best not talk shit again." His voice was higher than it needed to be. "Now say goodbye to yer little friends cuz they all gonna die tonight." The venom in his voice was a sound I hadn't heard in many years. Not since I was forced to live with him after our father had died.

"You stay the fuck away from my family Merle." He stepped back with shock on his face as my words hit him.

"Family… Family brother is blood them people ain't yer damn family. Them people left me on a fucking rooftop in Atlanta. I had to cut off my own damn hand to get free. I am yer damn family."

"Nah family is people who treat ya good. People who take care a each other no matter what. Not dumbass rednecks who use their family as drug mules. Who abuse em. You ain't family not anymore." I told him, my own voice hard as ever. "And 'Sides Maggie, she is my family, may not be blood between us but she's always been family to me."

"What the hell ya goin' on about?"

"Did you know I had a kid?"

"What the fuck you on about?" The look in his eyes told me he knew exactly what I was talking about.

"Beth." I said her name. "She called ya didn't she. Told ya she was havin' a kid. Maggie is her damn sister you asshole." His face paled and he rubbed his one hand over his head before looking back up to meet my eyes. "I am don't with your shit Merle. Now I am taking my people and we are getting the Fuck out of here." I turned to leave, to go and find my family and get back home.

"She told me." I stopped moving and turned back to face him. I stayed silent as he pondered his next words. "I knew ya had a kid but I didn't want ya to ruin yer life with that little harlot."

"She wasn't like that." I said quieter than the rest of our conversation.

"She dead?"

"Don't know. She's just gone."

"Listen I'm an ass I know that brother."

"You took me from my family. Then kept me away from my kid. A kid I coulda done a better job on then pa did with us. For what? So you could ruin my life with your drugs and jail and the hookers. Nah man that ain't right."

"Get the fuck outta here before he gets here. Take your people and go."

"Merle Dixon you are a real asshole." I said before turning and bolting up the steps and into the night with Rick and the others. They had found Maggie and Glenn, told them the plan and now we were ready to make an escape from this god awful town. Gunfire lit up the night sky as the Governor's people fired on us. We fired back only losing one of the inmates we met when we cleared the prison.

Slipping out through the same hole in the fence that brought us into this town we made a mad dash for the car parked a few miles away. By the time we reached the vehicle daylight had returned. Everyone was wiped out from the fight but we weren't safe yet. It was still a long drive back to the prison.

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The governor came back with new people and lit the place up. I was on my own. Sydney was nowhere to be found and neither was anyone else. I wandered through the familiar woods looking for any sign of the people I call family. Of Rick and Carl to Michonne. Even Tyreese and Sasha were just gone.

I followed the tracks for a while before coming across an old moonshine shake in the middle of nowhere. I knew what was inside since my pa had one just like it back in the day. I drank myself silly before burning the fucker down and moving on to the next place.

A fancy funeral home stood tall and white with a blue sky backdrop. All around it were headstones marking a time when burying our dead was the norm. I walked along the rows of graves until I spotted one that sent chills down my spine.

 _Beloved Daughter_

 _Beloved Mother_

It could have been for her. Thoughts of Beth ran rampant in my mind now that I was on my own in this world with not a single soul. I always liked being alone but this time it was different. This time it's worse. I spent days alone in the funeral home, staring at an old piano for hours from a coffin sitting on its perch. No sound came from the piano, no one sat on its bench staring at sheets of music or playing from heart. Silence stretched on and on.

I soon had to flee the funeral home as walkers took over. I ran and ran until my legs gave out. I came to a crossroads, unsure of where to go next I sat down to think. To let my mind figure out what to do next. The sounds of heavy footfalls grew closer. I stood quickly aiming my bow into the face of an older man with grey hair. The kinda guys Merle used to hang out with back before the world turned even uglier than normal. "That's a nice bow ya got there. I been looking for one just like it." Some guy behind me sneered.

"No Len let's not get ahead of ourselves. We ain't here to take anything from ya man. Why don't ya join us."

"But Joe?" The man named Len whined. If I didn't know better I woulda turned and shot him just on general principal.

"No buts Len we here are gonna take this one under our wing. He's just like us." I wanted to laugh in his face but held my tongue. "Now what's your name?"

"Daryl." I said with as much force as I could.

It stayed like that for days. Travelling with these people and listening to them bitch about some guy that killed one of their own. After a fight over a rabbit with the guy named Len things got outta control. He ended up dead in a ditch with an arrow in his eye socket, and we moved on. They finally got wind of the man they were hunting. I stayed in the trees not wanting to be a part of it. That's when I noticed Carl standing and being held by one of the guys. I knew what he wan gonna do and I wasn't gonna stand for it. I rushed in to try and calm the situation.

"Yer gonna leave these people alone."

"Now Daryl why would we do that. You see they killed our friend."

"These are my people." I told him sternly.

"Well then I guess you best be pickin a side. Us or them." With that Rick jumped up from his spot near Joe and lunged his teeth ripping into the neck of the man. Blood spurted everywhere. After a moment of shock Michonne and I jumped into action to take down the men who had been annoying as hell the last week.

The fight ended faster than I thought it would and soon we were sitting on the cold hard ground in complete silence. Eventually I handed Rick a bottle of water and rag to clean his face. No way Carl needed to see his pa like that. The world is harsh and the boy is strong but somethings are better left unseen.

"Did you see Syd?"

"No I didn't see anyone except Carl when he dragged me into the woods. We met up with Michonne a few days later." I leaned back against the truck and closed my eyes. Praying for the first time in who knows how long that someone else from the group has her or at least knows what happened to her.

Walking along the tracks again we passed a sign for a community promising sanctuary. Terminus. It sounded awful but Rick was hell bent on going. A part of me hopped the Sydney was with Maggie and that they were there in that place and everything was perfect.

We climbed in the back…

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They corralled us into a train car marked with a giant A. It was dark as a starless night once we entered. "Rick?" A familiar feminine voice said into the darkness.

"Maggie?" I asked pushing forward. "Is she with you?"

"No I tried to find her to get her on the bus but she wasn't anywhere to be found and then…"

"Than what?" I asked losing patience.

"I found the bus and thanked god she wasn't on it. Everyone was dead." After that no one said much. We all paced around the car looking for a way out or a plan to attack.

"They are gonna be sorry." Rick said.

"For what?"

"They are fucking with the wrong people."

The night passed slowly after that as everyone kept quiet for the most part. We were introduced to Maggie and Glenn's new friends Abe, Rosita and Eugene. The guy with a cure apparently. I don't buy that bullshit for one minute.

They rounded us up and took a few of us out. They talked a lot for crazy people. Turned out they planned to cook us. We fought back as much as we could as man after man had their throats slit. A loud bang sounded outside. Shots began firing every which way and chaos ensued. We made our exit hasty and took off into the throng of walkers filling the train yard. Screamed echoed everywhere as we rescued the rest of our people from this place. Slicing our way through the bodies of the walkers ambling towards us we made a dash over the fence and into the woods. We ran and ran until we were far enough away. Just then a rustling in the bush caught our attention. I went to grab my bow to aim but then realized it was gone in that place. Probably burning to the ground now.

Carol emerged from the tree line with my bow slung over her shoulder. I ran to her and pulled her into a hug. Something I was never really good at but felt like it needed to be done. She is after all a very close friend. She handed me my favourite weapon and we joined everyone else. "I have a surprise for you." She said before leading us a few miles to a small cabin. Walker bodies lined the porch and then Tyreese stepped out the door with Judith firmly on his hip. Rick and Carl ran to them and pulled the small girl into their own embraces. I slumped back dejected as I watched Sasha reunite with her brother. The loss of Sydney weighing heavily. Carol placed her hand on my arm with a smile on her face. Then like an answered prayer.

"DADDY!" A small weight ran smack into me. I looked down to see a head of blond curls holding my legs tightly. I bent down to pick her up, holding Sydney close. I let a few tears fall down my face as I held my daughter. She was 11 now and way too heavy for this but I didn't care. I had the one part of Beth left. The bright young girl who was to amazing to leave this world so soon.

"Sydney, thank god."

I placed her back down on the ground as I looked her over for any marks or problems. She of course stood there looking perfectly un-harmed. Her eyes however looked a little haunted. We walked away from the group a little to get some time alone. "What happened?" I questioned her. She looked up at me with her big blue eyes.

"I had to kill somebody." I stayed quiet waiting for her to keep going. "Not a walker but a living person." I squeezed her hand a little. "We were in this house and Lizzie went crazy. She killed Mika and she was going to kill me and Judith too. She thought they were friends and not dangerous. She wanted to make us like them so I took the gun Carol handed me and I shot her before she could hurt Judy. Carol and Ty saw it." I pulled her into another hug. Smoothing down her hair I tried my best to comfort her. I never wanted her to have to do something like that. To kill a living person, it's just not right.

After a short while we re-joined the group and began our walk. We had no idea where we were going all we knew is we had to stay together.

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Never like church or priest's had they always given me the creeps as they pushed things on you. The one we found a few days after getting out of Terminus was just as bad. He was alone having left his people out to die.

Before we knew it we had walked into South Caroline and then North Carolina. The choice to go north seemed like the best option but as the weather began to get cold again I was beginning to regret this plan. Sydney stuck near me like glue. She was getting strong and stronger with weapons but still feared having to do the dirty work like she had done with Lizzie. "You good?" I asked leaning down to her level a little as we walked behind the group.

"Yeah, just cold is all. I'm gonna be okay though." I nodded my head a little as the group came to a standstill in front of us. I walked forward keeping her hidden behind me.

"Hello. My name is Aaron. I come from a safe community not far from here." I pulled my gun from its holster and aimed.

"Get lost."

"I promise you it is safe. We have electricity and hot running water. There is schools and jobs. We are rebuilding the world." He said.

"Why should we believe you?" Rick asked as he stepped in front of me. "Do you have proof?"

"Yes. In my bag, I have photos and food and water." Maggie searched through the bag, producing a few pictures of a town with no people. "There are no people in these pictures." Rick pointed out.

"Well nobody wanted to be the face of Alexandria."

"Why should we trust you?" Sydney spoke up.

"You don't just trust people but I can assure you once you get to know all of us… There is about 70 of us living there." He explained.

"You alone out here?" I asked him looking around to spot any other people. Any potential threats to our safety. When nothing was spotted I turned my attention back to the very clean man in front of me.

"My partner. She is up ahead with the vehicles waiting."

"You been watching us?"

"I have yes. I came out here alone a few days ago and spotted you all. She joined me this morning with the extra RV to bring everyone back."

"You got radios?" Glenn questioned.

"Yes."

"How far is this town?" Abe put in.

"It's in Virginia, not far from DC." He told us.

"Rick?" Abe then questioned our leader.

"Alright, we will check it out but if things go sideways we bolt and take what we can." Rick explained. I moved to walk in front of Sydney to keep her shielded from view. The clean man shook his head a little before leading us a few miles north. An old beat up car and RV sat off the side of the road. But that's not what struck me speechless. Leaning against the side of the RV holding the biggest gun I had seen in a while was a woman.

"Beth?" I breathed out. I didn't realized I had spoken out loud until her head snapped up and her giant blue eyes locked on mine.

"Beth!"

 **Well well well. Here we go. Things are getting crazy now. Who's ready for Alexandria? Drop a review and let me know what you think. I love hearing from everyone. Have a great Friday night**


	10. The End of the World 2

**Thank you to everyone for the wonderful response to the last chapter. I am blown away by all your kind words. The last chapter is actually different then I had originally planned. When I first started to put the concept together I was planning on going through all of the stuff the show did with the governor and Woodbury, terminus, etc. Instead I got bored trying to write it so I skipped it all and fast forwarded to when they run into Beth.**

 **And now without further ado we start the journey of seeing how Miss Beth has fared in the ZA since leaving the farm for New York.**

 **BPOV**

"Mommy please don't go." Sydney begged as I packed a few things into my pink suitcase.

"Sweet pea I have to. I am going to find us the coolest apartment and find the best Pizza place and then I am going to come back and get you." I explained.

"But I don't wanna leave grandma and grandpa. Why do we have to go to a new city?" Sydney cried. My heart broke a little hearing her sad words regarding my parents. I didn't really want to leave the safety of the only home I have ever known but knowing that my dreams of being on Broadway were so close made me move forward with this plan.

"I know sweetie but I promise we will come back and visit whenever we can and they will fly up and visit us too."

"How long will you be gone?"

"Only a week baby, then I will be right back here to get you."

"Promise?" She asked with crocodile tears ready to fall from her big blue eyes. I grabbed her hands tightly in my own and squeezed.

"Promise." After a long hug I let go of my little angel's hands and pulled the rest of my things I would need for the week together. I met my dad on the porch as he brought the big old blue pickup truck to the steps to load. "Thank you daddy." I told him before climbing in the passenger side. I looked back to the porch as my dad pulled away from the steps and into the driveway. Sydney stood next to my mother with tears falling down her plump cheeks. Looking at her now reminded me of the day her father was taken away, the tears fell freely down my cheeks in a similar fashion. Pain welled in my chest as I thought about the only man who has ever truly held my heart.

I knew leaving town would mean he wouldn't be able to find me but after ten years of waiting I couldn't sit here anymore letting life pass me by. Sydney deserves better than that.

We drove the few hours to the Atlanta airport in near silence only making a few comments here and their. My dad knew talking wasn't a good idea and the fact that he knew me so well made me happy and sad all at the same time. Leaving home, leaving your parents, the hardest choice to make but also one of the most rewarding. At least that's what Maggie says, even though she ended up coming back home after only a year away.

We pulled up to the departures gate and my dad helped me pull my case from the back. "Have a safe flight doodlebug. I love you."

"I love you too daddy. Thank you and please…"

"We will take great care of her."

"Thank you." After one last hug I walked inside the building, the AC blasting away sent chills down my spine. I made it through the security with no problems and soon was sitting on the plane waiting for takeoff. The flight passed by uneventful. I turned on a movie and basically stared into space the entire time.

I landed at JFK, getting my bag took forever and then I was out on the busy street looking for a cab to take me to the hotel I booked last week.

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Morning time came and I was up and out the door ready to explore New York City for the first time. Walking down the crowed street was more than I ever imagined and it freaked me out a little. I found the subway station after what seemed like forever and if I thought the streets were crowded…

Squished in between everyday riders was an interesting experience, people pushed and pulled and the smell was atrocious and I was raised on a farm. The fear of being around so many people soon started to fade as I got used to the situation. Sydney would have a field day with this train system.

Stepping out into the sun I looked up to the greying sky in awe. The city sounds blurred into the background as I looked to the buildings around me. Next thing I knew I was on the ground trying to push myself back up. "Keep moving lady." Some guy in a suit yelled as he rushed past me. I finally found my footing and walked over to a bench. I had no idea where I was and no idea how to find out. The people didn't seem friendly enough to ask so I stayed quiet as I pulled my phone from my purse.

After what seemed like forever I walked into the main office at Broadway, a receptionist looked up at my approach. "I'm here to see the director of Spring Awakening. I'm Beth Greene."

"Through that door." I followed her finger with my eyes and walked forward behind a big brown door that read Talent Only. I stood to the side as a man in his late fifties spoke to a few people about prop placement.

"You come down here." I did as told and stood next to the other people. "Greene?"

"Yes sir." I answered automatically.

"Good. Here is your script and rehearsal times. Don't be late."

"Thank you sir."

"Don't call me sir." I nodded my head and looked at the script he handed me. After the brief encounter with the man who would be controlling my work life for the next six months I was back out on the street and ready to meet with the real estate agent to find the perfect apartment.

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"This one has three bedrooms and two bathrooms. There is a little nook off the living room that is great for reading." The woman named Stella said as we walked in the door of a brightly lit home. It was in the East Village and most likely way out of my price range but it was worth it to take a look.

"Are there any apartments with a window by the kitchen sink?" I questioned.

"I can check for you but I'm not sure."

"Okay, thank you."

"So what are you looking for?" She asked me.

"Well my daughter and I are from a farm in Georgia so we want something that will be homey, not so industrial. Not to modern either." I explained hoping she knew of something along those lines.

"Well I have just the thing. You won't find it in East Village though."

"That is okay, I don't think I could afford this area." She showed the rest of the apartment so I could see some kind of options before she took me across the city to a cheaper and older neighborhood. Walking in the front door of the townhouse I knew I had to have it. The walls were covered in a nice floral wall paper that reminded me of home, a little window sat above the kitchen sink and the appliances had that home like feel.

The living room was spacious with a little corner fire place, two antique chairs sat near it. Perfect for reading at night. The bedrooms where upstairs and of fairly good size. A window seat was full of little pillows like the one back home. I could see Sydney sitting there playing with her toys or reading one of her favourite books. "I'll take it." I told Stella. Within the hour she had paperwork drawn up and my signature was scrawled on the dotted line.

I called home from the hotel that night to tell them all the good news. The next few days were spent at the theatre going over lines and learning the stage. Meeting new cast mates and getting to know the city took up most of the day. I finally moved into my new home and got my internet set up.

I pulled my laptop from its bag and logged onto my skype account. I clicked my sister's name and her face soon popped up on the screen. "Hey Maggie." I said happily.

"Hey Bethy, how are you liking the big apple?" She asked as shuffling feet sounded behind her.

"It's great, a little busier than I am used to but it'll be great once Syd gets here."

"Mommy how is the city?" Sydney asked pushing Maggie out of the way.

"Great baby you are going to love it here and I have the perfect house for us to live."

"I can't wait to see you mom."

"Three days and I'll be home to get you. Have you finished packing yet?" I asked her, her eyes lit up a little as she thought about her answer.

"Almost I just have to get my clothes and some of my bears together. Grandma will help me closer to the day you get back." She explained. I smiled brightly at my little angel. The day I found out I was going to be a mother I was scared out of my life at the prospect of doing it alone without Daryl.

"That's great baby. So Sydney I can't wait for you to see…" I started when the screen went black and the lights went off all around me. Screams filled the air outside the windows of my townhouse. I jumped up to look outside. People filled the streets as car's screeched to a stop narrowly avoiding hitting some of the people. The streetlights and traffic lights were out and confusion set in. I made sure to check the lock on my door and windows. I had no idea what was going on but fear was starting to set in. I pulled my phone from my pocket and dialed the number for home but got nothing, not even a dial tone.

"Oh god what is happening." Moving quickly to the window again to watch the action on the street. A man pulled a gun from the back of his pants and aimed at another man. I was frozen in shock as he pulled the trigger. The second man fell to the ground as blood pooled around him from the wound in his chest. I wanted to look away but fear kept me planted in place.

After a few minutes the man stood up from his puddle of blood, with a limp he walked forward towards one of the woman still standing on the street with her phone in hand. Next thing I knew he lunged towards her clamping on to her shoulder with his mouth. A blood curdling scream left her lips before she fell to the ground with him on top of her pulling her apart. I finally stumbled back from the window and fell to the sofa. Silent tears fell down my cheeks as thoughts of my family ran rampant through my mind.

I fell asleep curled into a ball on my sofa. When I woke the next morning I stretched out my muscles as memories as the previous night flooded back in. After washing quickly I pulled my backpack from the closet I stuffed it in the day before and tossed my phone a few clothing items and a picture of me and Sydney and an older one of me and Daryl. I pulled back the curtain to look outside to see which way I could make my escape of the city. To get back home to my family, to the safety of the farm.

Before making my way outside I ran to the kitchen and pulled the butchers knife from the block and held it tightly in my hand.

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Walking along the near empty streets I kept my ears open and my eyes peeled for anything weird like last night.

As my feet carried me in the direction of the river and hopefully escape my cowboy boot covered foot hit a crack in the side walk that sent me sprawling on the ground, I yelped in surprise as my hands scratched the pavement. Strange moaning grumbled behind me, I flipped over to see a woman who looked to be about my age snapping her jaw towards me. Her eyes an ugly grey color seemed to look past me as she lunged closer towards me. I reached my hand up with the knife in hand as something in the back of my mind screamed head shot. A scream escaped my lips as she got closer and closer to me….

 **Here is the next chapter. I am so sorry it took so long to get posted. More Beth chapters coming soon!**

 **Let me know what you think!**


	11. Subway Walkers

**Thank you to everyone who is reading, reviewing, favouring, following this story. Your support means the world to me. My apologies for the delay in this chapter. It has been a hectic two weeks.**

 **I hope you enjoy this chapter.**

My scream still ringing in the air was silenced as a shot rang out and the strange twisted woman who had been coming for me fell limp as the bullet passed through her head. I scrambled to my feet and looked around to find the source of the bullet. "Hello?"

"Keep it down would ya?" A male voice said from behind me. I turned quickly and found him watching me. His hair was a mass of messy brown layers, and his green eyes looked friendly enough. "What?"

"Sorry, thank you for saving me." I mumbled out.

"Gotta stay quiet, they have real good hearing."

"How do you know all of this?"

"Trial and error, and I have seen every damn zombie movie known to man. I'm kind of an expert." He explained.

"So that's what these are?"

"Yup. Don't know how or why but that is what they are. They go down with a head shot and nothing else. A bite will kill ya. You burn up like you have the flu and then you die. After death you come back as one of these things." He said. I'm sure my face was the picture of shock as he spoke so confidently about what was going on in the world now. "I'm Ben by the way." He said extending his hand for me to shake. I took it lightly as I answered with my own name.

"Beth."

"Nice to meet you Beth. Now let's get out of the city before we get mobbed by more of these things. I gotta friend waiting in Jersey."

"Where are you headed?" I questioned quietly as we walked through the streets and towards a subway station.

"Anywhere away from giant populations." He told me. "Where are you heading?"

"I need to get to Georgia."

"That's a long way south. What's down there?"

"My daughter. I need to get back to her. I'm from a farm in a very small town and I know there is enough supplies and water in the wells to last a long while."

"Well if you don't mind Katie and me coming along we can help get ya back to your daughter." He said.

"And you're sure Katie won't mind?"

"Nah we got nothing else to do besides, you seem pretty cool so far." He said. To me he was the epitome of hipster. He looks about my age or younger, his hair looks like it is probably done this way every day, zombies or not, and his attitude screams who cares.

"Thank you Ben." He smiled at me and then we fell into a comfortable silence as we walked.

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We went down into the subway station, hoping over the barriers. No trains were in sight and the usual hum of electricity was gone, as were the lights. He pulled a few flashlights from his bag and we made our way down onto the tracks. Somehow he knew which way to walk that kept us heading towards Jersey, I always wanted to explore New York I just didn't think it would be this way.

The tunnels were silent except for our footfalls for a good twenty minutes. "Only about another half hour walk to Jersey." He said and within seconds low moaning sounded out in front of us. "Here." He said handing me a giant machete. "Aim for the head remember." He lifted the flashlight up to reveal three of the walkers. I decided to call them that instead of zombies, it seemed to make more sense to me. I walked forward cautiously, my cowboy boots clicking on the tracks as I walked. A girl about my size lunged for me and I thrust out my arm letting the machete connect with her head through the eye socket. I pulled back trying to free the blade but it was stuck. I pulled a little harder and I tumbled over landing on my butt. The girl came falling down with me which somehow gave me the leverage to pull the blade free. I wiggled out from under her weight and stood up again. My clothing covered in blood and brain matter. I cringed slightly as I looked to see Ben finishing off the last walker in this part of the tunnel.

"You good?" I questioned.

"Yeah you?"

"Yeah, I'm disgusting now but I'm good." I told him. With our flashlights up again we started moving again, this time at a bit faster of a pace.

Jumping up onto the platform and finding our way up to the top we had finally made it to Jersey with very little incident. The sun was setting in the distance and the idea of night out in the open scared me. "Come on this way." He said pointing towards a small housing subdivision.

"Are we staying here over night?"

"Yeah no point walking all night. It'll be good to get cleaned up and rest before we started heading south."

"Cleaned up sounds great." I laughed a little. A few more minutes and he was knocking some kind of code into the front door of a two story house with a gnome on the front yard. After he finished the knock a petite blond girl with brown eyes and a big smile opened the door. "You must be Katie."

"Hi."

"Kate this is Beth, found her trying to get out of the city."

"Nice to meet you Beth. Come in so I can lock up." We did as instructed and she placed a bored over the door and triple locked it. I looked around and noticed boards on all the windows as well as heavy blankets to block out the light. "I have dinner made." I followed Ben over to a kitchen tucked in the back of the house, the windows were all covered in here too and a pot of what looked like stew was cooking on the gas stove.

"Is there some place I can clean up?" I asked her nicely. She smiled at pointed to the stairs leading up to the top floor.

"Bathroom is at the end of the hall in the master bedroom. There is still hot water as the pilot light is still on so enjoy."

"Thank you so much." I told her as I made my way with my bag up to the bathroom. This is the kind of house that would cost a lot of money before everything started to fall apart. I quickly stripped out of my clothes and turned the water on as hot as I could stand it. The spray felt amazing after a long day of walking and running. Who knew when I would get a shower again after this so I savoured the moment as long as I could. With my hair and body scrubbed I climbed out and found a new pair of clothes in my bag. I pulled my boots back on and tossed the dirty clothes into the tub and filled it with water and soap. I hoped I could get it clean enough to keep wearing as most of my clothes had to be left behind.

"Welcome back, how was the shower?" Katie questioned as I made my way back down the stairs to join them at the large dining table. I could see elaborate holiday parties being held in this room, with family laughing and talking about the silliest of things. A life I left behind in Georgia.

"Amazing. Thank you for not kicking me out as soon as you saw me." I said to her.

"Oh no way I wouldn't do that. Besides if Ben think's your good to go then I agree with him. So Georgia?"

"Yes, are you okay…" I started to say.

"Of course who doesn't love an adventure?" With that it seemed as though our plans were set. In the morning we would pack what we could and take off towards my home. I just hope Sydney and my parents are still there and alive.

 **Okay so I know this is shorter than most but the next one should be longer and coming a lot sooner than this did. Please let me know what you think. I love to hear from you!**


	12. Georgia Bound

**Thank you to everyone who has reviewed and read and followed and added this story onto their list of favourites. It means the world to me.** **You are all amazing!**

 **Beth would never forget about Sydney, this next chapter will show a little insight into why we find our favourite blonde badass with Aaron and why she isn't out at the present time trying to find her family.**

 **Let me know what you think!**

"How do you plan on carrying all of that?" I asked Katie as she stuffed even more sweaters into an already overstuffed back pack.

"With great difficulty but it will be worth it if we all start to freeze at night." She exaggerated.

"I will end up carrying most of it, won't I babe?" Ben piped in from the doorway. His bag had been ready to go for an hour now and we should have been on the road forever ago.

"Of course not Ben, I would never…" I snorted trying to cover a laugh as she shot me a look and Ben broke out into a playful grin. "Anyway, I think we need all this. Ben you have the food and water and medical supplies, Beth you have your stuff and extra snacks as well as blankets. It's only fitting that I keep as many sweaters I can, you know summer won't last forever and I for one do not want to be stuck in backwoods Georgia without extra warm clothing. I also have a box of power bars in here is that helps."

"Okay okay. Are you ready to go?" I asked her with a straight face. She finally zipped the bag and pulled it onto her shoulders. Her long blonde hair sat high on her head and her brown eyes locked with Ben's before we made the trek outside. "So how do we go from here?"

"Normally I would say take a car but who knows what the roads are like. It's probably best we stick to the trees and walk the whole way." Ben explained. I didn't like the idea of walking all the way from New Jersey to Georgia but I had to admit he was probably right about the road being a mess. After all the streets of New York looked the same as they did everyday only the sounds of screams and honking horns was absent. It was a sea of stopped cars and dead people. I was surprised I didn't see more of those Walkers while trying to leave the city but I thank god I didn't. I barley even know now how to take one down let alone a while swarm of them.

We didn't need to say anything else as we took off out of the picture perfect neighborhood and found a path that would lead us around any major city. The last thing we wanted was to run into a big swarm. "Did either of you hear about those safe zones they mentioned on the news before the TV's went out?"

"Of course but after thinking about it, the last thing I wanna do is being locked behind fences with a bunch of people who could get sick and become those monsters. I don't like the idea of being a caged animal." Katie explained. "Besides everyone who has seen a good zombie flick knows those things never last. They get overrun and then everyone dies. Better to strike out on your own then try and stay safe with too many people."

"I guess that makes sense." I said falling back a step or two behind them.

"Have you not seen Zombieland or any of the other great movies out there?" Ben asked, turning his head to look at me.

"I grew up on a farm. I was in the barn doing chores at 530 every day. My mom would make breakfast and then I would go to school. Growing up I had this friend, my best friend actually and we would be way too busy to watch much TV."

"Is he the one who helped create…" Katie started.

"Sydney. Yes he is." I told them. "His name was Daryl and I miss him every day."

"Did he die?" Katie asked in a quiet voice.

"I don't know what happened to him. His brother showed up at the farm one day to tell him their father died and then next thing I know Merle is going on and on about how he is Daryl's family and he had to go with him or there would be problems. I don't know it was nuts. He was taken away and he never came back."

"Did he know about Sydney?" Ben questioned.

"No."

The subject dropped and we walked on in silence only stopped to have a small snack and empty bladders. Sometimes being a woman really sucks.

We found a nice area surrounded by trees to make camp, using a tarp we had rolled up and attached to the bottom of my backpack we made a little makeshift roof to keep any rain off of us while we slept. We set up a small fire in the center and kept it low both to keep others away and to keep it from burning a hole in the tarp. With our blankets laid out we were ready to get some much needed rest after spending the entire day walking. My feet were killing me and I could barely keep my eyes open. "I'll take first watch." Katie announced as she stood up and walked to the edge of our little camp. I fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow.

A few hours later Katie nudged my shoulder to wake me up. "Your turn." She whispered. I stood up to take her place as she went to get some sleep. The trees whistled in the light breeze and the sounds of crickets filled the air. I breathed in deep as the peaceful quietness relaxed my sore muscles even more. I kept my eyes peeled for any danger but let my mind wander back to the first time I ever went camping.

I was with Daryl and he had convinced my father to let me go spend a weekend in the woods living off the land and just being in nature. At first I hated the idea of not having the little luxuries I had been so accustomed to growing up. But after a few hours scavenging for berries and setting up traps to catch dinner I found it fun and invigorating. That night we set up a tent we made from sticks and other things found in the woods and made a little fire to cook dinner. We had a pretty filling meal to with berries and rabbit meat and a little salad I made from leave he told me were go to be consumed. We spent the whole weekend living like we had nothing but what god had created and each other. I would give anything to go back to that weekend and relive those amazing moments we shared together. Nothing in the world mattered then. It was just the two of us.

Of course I wouldn't give up Sydney. She is the light of my life, the reason to keep going when all seems lost.

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Rustling in the bushes off to the right caught my attention. I brought the knife I held in my hand up into a fighting position before nudging Ben and Katie awake. "Get up we got trouble." I whispered as the first walker ambled towards me. I jumped back trying to see clearly in the dark. I lunged forward with my knife and got in a good blow to the face. It kept coming at me so I tried again this time the knife plunged into the eye socket so I twisted my wrist a little as the walker went limp and fell to the ground. I yanked my knife free as the others kept up the battle with the other three walkers that arrived. I lunged forward towards it hoping to keep my new friends alive. This one was a bigger man and a lot harder to take down. Ben pulled a gun as the walker was getting closer and closer to taking a chunk out of my neck. A shot rang out and the walker fell on top of me. His weight knocked the breath out of me, with all my strength I tried to push him off and over onto the grass next to me. His dead weight was too much for my smaller frame to handle though and I ended up falling back exhausted as thick blood dripped next to my head and coated my hair.

The sounds of fighting continued for a few moments more as panic started to set in. Next thing I know the body is gone and Katie and ben are holding their hands out to help me up. "Everyone okay?" Ben questioned after I was standing.

"I'm good."

"Me too." I replied.

"Let's pack up and keep moving." He said going over to take down the tarp. I snuffed out the fire and pulled the blankets back into my pack. After getting everything cleaned up we took off with our flashlights illuminating the path.

"You look like hell." Katie remarked as the sun started to rise giving everything an eerie glow.

"Thanks so do you." I said back with a small smile. We all looked like we had been through hell and back after the evens from a few hours ago. "I'm just happy we all made it out of that."

"I don't know what I would do if I lost Ben. We have been together for so long now it would just be so weird." She said quietly so he wouldn't hear. "I'm glad he found you."

"I'm really glad he found me. I never would have made it out of New York if it weren't for him."

"He has always been that way you know. Helping others, being the hero. He never has given himself enough credit for it but he is amazing." She spoke with such wonder in her voice that it was hard to be upset about anything. Katie seemed like she always had to smile and bring happiness and for that I was grateful. "You know one year we went to this Woodstock recreation event where everyone was dressed like it was the 70s and we all smoked a ton of pot and drank beer, well this one guy took it a little far and ended up almost dying. Ben saved his life by being the only one sober so he could drive this guy to a hospital."

"Woodstock recreations, they did things like that?"

"Oh yeah. You just gotta know the right people to catch invites to it."

"I don't think I would handle being in place like that." I told her honestly. Drinking sure, sometimes, pot not so much. That many people all in one place a big no no in the Beth Greene book of life rules. High school was bad enough. She laughed a little, her tiny musical sound and then the subject was dropped. Ben had stayed in a foul mood all day and by the time we made camp it was a good thing we found an old cabin to hole up in. We didn't want any repeats of last night.

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It ended up taking us a lot longer than we had hoped to get to Georgia. Being stuck in houses for days on end because the weather was too hot to keep walking or we ran out of water and had to find a river or creek. Katie got sick after about a month of being on the road and so we found a house to stay in for a while. We ended up staying for just over a month while we recouped and got our shit together.

Winter had set in when we finally made across the Georgia state line. I breathed a huge sigh of relief at finally being back in my home state. Lawns were over grown and everything look exactly like the other states had. Bare and devoid of people. Another few days and we reached my home town. Instead of going straight to the farm we made a stop at a few of the stores and ransacked them for supplied. The pharmacy was basically empty.

"Looks like someone got lucky while on a scavenging run." Katie giggled as she held up a pair of panties on a walking stick she had picked up along the way. She spun them around and laughed. I chuckled as I wondered who would risk doing it in a place like this.

"If I didn't know any better I would say it was my sister Maggie. She always liked to do stupid crazy stuff."

"Now this sister is most definitely someone I want to me." Katie chimed.

"I think she will love you Katie."

"Come on, it's gonna get dark soon we should go." We followed Ben outside and I led them down a long lone highway towards the farm. I walked this highway many times over the years and knew it like the back of my hand. I knew the crack on the edge where Mrs. Parker had crashed her car and they had to use the Jaws of Life to cut her free. Or the tree root that grew and pushed the pavement aside. No one ever bothered to remove it, they said it added character to our town.

"Here it is." I announced as the mailbox that read _Greene_ appeared before us. A few low moans filled the still air around us. We slowly walked forward down the long driveway. The trees eventually parted to show the big white farmhouse. It looked quiet and deserted. Bodies lay mangled and gross on the ground dotting the landscape. A few walkers left alive ambled around not really paying much attention. It looked as though a huge herd had wandered through here but most had gone off by now. "Who knows how long ago this was." I said as tears fell from my eyes.

I walked forward taking down any walker that got in my way. "Beth I am so sorry." Ben said as he kept pace with me. I looked down at all the bodies littering the ground, searching for signs of familiar faces. A strange RV was sat in front of the now burned down barn. I walked over to it slowly avoiding stepping on the dead around it. Charred bodies lay next to it. I looked inside careful to keep quiet. A body nearly all gone but a head left sitting on the driver's seat revealed to me that Jimmy perished in the RV. I stumbled back out towards my friends. "My ex Jimmy is in there." I said as numbness took over. The house I needed to get to the house.

Next to the porch I found Patricia, her eyes wide open and her jaw biting towards me. I fell to my knees with my knife in hand. Tears poured from my eyes as I looked down at the woman who had been so much like a second mother to me all my life. Ben and Katie stayed behind me watching for danger as I grieved over the people I now knew were gone.

"Beth we gotta get inside. I'm sorry it's getting dark and more of the walkers are getting closer." Ben said. I struck my knife downwards ending the state Pat had been left in.

"I'm so sorry this happened to you Pat." I whispered before I stood from my spot and walked up the porch steps. I knocked on the door a few times hoping no walkers were inside tarnishing my family home. When no sound came I pushed open the big wooden door and looked around. No dust had settled and no bodies could be seen.

"Looks like they left in a hurry." Katie pointed out.

"Or they are all dead out there." I said pointing out the obvious.

"There are no vehicles out there Beth. I think some of them must have gotten away." Said Ben. I looked around the rest of the house and found a few strange photo albums.

"Other people were here with them when they left." I said holding up a brown album with a dark haired woman, a kid who looked about Syd's age and a cop.

That's when I saw it. Sitting on the coffee table was a black wallet. I remembered the wallet from so many years before. I bought it for the love of my life after his last one had been stolen. Cautiously I walked over to it and picked it up. Being over ten years old I never thought I would see it again. Flipping it open the photo on the driver's license stared back at me. "Daryl."

 **More to come soon. Please drop me a review and let me know what you think! Much love everyone!**


	13. Welcome to the World Sydney

**Thank you to everyone for the support for this story it means so much to me. I hope you are all enjoying the ride. The original concept for this story had it going on a lot longer with them separated but I have since shortened it. I hope you are all excited because in about 3-4 more chapters you'll finally get the reunion.**

 **But for now let's take a step backwards and see what life was like for Beth after Daryl left town! Please keep in mind I do not have children, I have never been pregnant so I have no idea how accurate any of this is!**

Sitting cross-legged on the living room floor with a text book in my lap I felt the little flutter of a kick. My hand automatically flew to my large stomach and felt for the next one. "You okay?" Jimmy questioned. He had been helping me study the past few months. Coming over to the farm to sit with me and read through text after text. It seemed to me like he was trying to make up for all the hell he had caused over the years.

"Yeah it kicked." I explained. I hated calling it an it but I refused to find out what it was going to be until it was born.

"Is it weird?"

"Yeah really weird but also nice." I explained. "Do you want to feel it?"

He nodded his head and moved a bit closer to me reaching his hand out and placing it where mine had been a moment ago. Little it kicked hard and he recoiled his hand in surprise. "Does it hurt you?"

"Not always."

"Are you excited for when it's here?" He questioned. I looked back up at him from the page that was open on my lap.

"Yes and no. I am excited because I want her and she is a part of him that I get to keep but I'm not because he's not here to see her and be her dad."

"I know we didn't get along but he treated you good. He was a good guy even if his family history tried to dictate otherwise." Jimmy said, to my surprise he actually seemed pretty honest about thinking Daryl was a good guy. I smiled at him a little as we got back to studying the government system.

I began to shift uncomfortably as I tried to focus on the pages in front of me, soon pain radiated through my middle causing me to cry out. Jimmy jumped to his feet faster than lightning and ran to the barn to grab my parents. He rushed back in. "What's happening?"

"I think it's coming." I cried gripping my stomach tightly. The books long forgotten in front of me. He rushed to my side and grabbed my hand helping me to stand and walk towards the door where my parents were rushing in to see what happened. My water broke then and I knew the fear I felt showed on my face as my mom pushed Jimmy out of the way and began to lead me to the car.

The drive to the local emergency room was really only 10 minutes but felt like forever as the pain kept coming and going. I was uncomfortable and irritated and my mom kept trying to engage me in conversation. She had called Maggie and Shawn from the road to let them know what was going on. Jimmy had hopped in the back seat with my dad for some reason he felt the need to come with us.

Hours passed by with more and more pain but no relief, it just kept getting worse and worse and I knew if Daryl were here with me right now I would kill him for helping do this to me. Jimmy however stayed near me holding my hand and telling me I could do it. At some point he left to call his folks and tell them where he was but as soon as he was done he was right back next to my bed. "You can go you know." I told him, as I neared hour 8 of labour.

"I can stay it's no problem."

"You don't have to though Jimmy, this isn't something you need to be responsible for or to see."

"I know but I want to stay Beth. I want to be here for you and not just because of all the crap I put you through before. I want to be here because I like to consider us friends now." He went on. "And friends don't let friends go through crazy life changing things alone. He would be here if he knew and if he could but since he can't I'm here and I won't leave you unless you or the doctor tells me to."

"The doctor has that power?"

"He is mighty terrifying."

"He is your uncle."

"I know." He replied with a smile. Said doctor walked in the room just then and looked to me and then to his nephew before looking back at me.

"James here didn't do this to you did he?" He asked with a serious look on his face.

"No sir." I chuckled. After that he got to work checking to make sure everything was moving along nicely. The drugs they had given me were starting to wear off a little of the pain was coming back tenfold.

"Well Beth looks like you are all ready to go. I am just going to grab the nurse and then we will start. Jimmy are you going to be going now?"

"If Beth wants me to."

"Please stay." I said earnestly. I didn't realize before how much of a help and support he was until the thought of him suddenly being gone was a reality. He nodded his head and grabbed my hand again. The doctor went out to find the nurse and soon he was telling me to push. My mother was on my other side holding my other hand as Jimmy stayed vigilant in his spot.

Sweat was pouring down my neck and face as I pushed and pushed to get the little thing out. With one final push and what sounded like a freaky battle cry the sounds of wailing filled my ears. I opened my eyes to see the crying baby who was being cleaned off by the nurse.

"Congratulations Beth you have a beautiful baby girl." The doctor said as the nurse placed my little girl on my chest. Tears slid down my cheeks aggressively as I looked into her perfect little face.

"Do you have a name for her?" My mom questioned as she looked down at her little granddaughter.

"Sydney Dixon Greene."

"Good strong name." Jimmy commented. I looked up at him as he stood near the bed watching me with my little girl.

"Thank you for being here Jimmy."

"No problem."

"Want to hold her?" I said holding her up to him. He gently took her in his arms and swayed softly.

"What grandma doesn't get to go first?" My mother said in mock scolding. Jimmy handed her over and sat in a chair a moment. "Oh my sweet little angel you are going to be so loved you know that. Yes you are, yes you are."

"I'm gonna head home unless you need anything. Call me if you want or need to. I'll keep my phone on me."

"Thank you Jimmy. For everything." I said as he slipped out the door. My father came in shortly after that and took one look at his grandbaby and vowed she would be the most loved and protected girl in the world.

Soon sleep over took me as Sydney was placed in the nursery for a few hours.

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The next day was allowed to go home and I was met with a lot of fanfare from my siblings who came home from college to meet their niece. Otis and Pat were there as well with more food than anyone needed. Sydney got passed around from person to person until it was time to feed her and then put her down for a nap. When she slept I slept.

Sitting in my room holding my little girl in my arms and looking into her sweet face with her big blue eyes I cried a little. "I wish you could know him." She squirmed a little looking up at me. "He would love you so much. Your daddy is not a bad guy, he is the very best." I told her. "I love you my sweet girl."

 **Please don't hate Jimmy. Remember Bethly is endgame here. Jimmy is just being a good nice guy.**

 **Please review and let me know what you think**


	14. Journey

"Damn it he was here." I nearly yelled into the almost empty house. "He was here and that means he knows. He knows and I wasn't there to explain what happened. I wasn't there to tell him all about her and what he missed. He probably thinks I'm dead and damn it…" I was pacing around my family living room, Ben and Katie stood off to the side watching quietly. "I have to find them. They have to be alive out there." I stopped and turned to look at my companions.

"And you're sure they are not out in those bodies?" Ben questioned.

"There is motorcycle tracks leading out and other vehicles as well. They had to have gotten out. He has always been very resourceful."

"Do you want to go check the bodies again just to be sure?" Katie pipped in.

"Yes." I said solemnly. We marched outside after I tucked his wallet into my back pocket. We had searched through some of the bodies but I needed to know for sure that Sydney and Daryl were not among the dead like Patricia and Jimmy.

The search took us a few hours to cover all the land my family owned and even a bit of the woods behind it. No familiar faces jumped out at me and for that I was grateful. We made camp in the living room for the night, gathering the supplies left behind. "It looks like they left in a real hurry." Katie mentioned.

"Probably because of that herd." Ben added.

"There had to have been more of the walkers right, they wouldn't have just left if they could fend them off." I put in.

"Probably. Either way we don't know what happened to your people but we will keep looking. We can start heading back north, see if we can find anything." Ben said from his spot on the not so comfortable sofa. "Do you think they went south?"

"I don't think so."

"Why?" Asked Katie.

"Because if Daryl got here and got to talk with my dad and my sister they would have mentioned me living in New York. He would think I'm dead but he would also want to be sure so he would hopefully go north."

"Alright. We will try and pick up the trail." Ben told us. We stayed silent after that. Sleep soon took over and the next thing I knew bright light was streaming in the window. The others were still sound asleep so I crept silently up the stairs and into my room. I packed a few things into my backpack before sitting on my bed and staring at the pictures on my vanity.

Smiling faces from all the years I had lived here. My family, Daryl, Sydney. Tears sprung into my eyes and fell silently down my cheeks. A knock at the door scared me and brought me back to reality. "Hey." Katie said walking into the room. "You okay?" She sat down on the bed next to me, her arm wrapping around my shoulder to hold me in a tight side hug.

"I will be. I just hoped they would have been okay here. I had told myself years ago that I would never see Daryl again. But Sydney… Sydney is my little girl, my angel and I can't handle it if she's gone."

"But finding that wallet means they could be together and if they are then he will keep her safe."

"No one is safe in this world." I muttered.

"I know but you gotta keep your faith Greene. Now Ben is ready to hit the road, we found an old car in the back and he is getting it packed." I nodded my head and grabbed blankets before following her out to my old car.

"This is the best little car, I can't believe they left it behind."

"This is yours?"

"Yeah, I bought it last year." I tossed my stuff into the back seat and went around to the house and pulled the keys from there spot by the door. "Here Ben you drive." I climbed into the back seat after tossing the keys over the hood to him. He caught them effortlessly and started up the engine. My baby roared to life and we took off, keeping to the back roads.

In the passenger seat Katie said yammering on to Ben about all kinds of things, I pulled a small photograph out of my bag and stared at it. In the picture Sydney sat on the living room floor, two years old, the Christmas tree set up behind her and wrapping paper everywhere. Her blues eyes big and bright as she played with a flashing toy my mom had gotten for her. The day was so clear in my mind even after all these years. Surrounded by family, loved and happy.

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The trees flew past us as we drove fast down the empty abandoned roads. Some cars lined the ditch, bodies lay near them and stuff scattered about for the taking. My eyes grew heavy the longer we drove and I soon found myself fast asleep.

When I opened my eyes again it was dark out and Katie was driving while Ben snoozed in the passenger seat. "Nice nap sleepy head?" Katie giggled as she kept her eyes on the road. After all you never know what could pop out at you even with the world in chaos.

"You could have woken me and made me drive." I stated.

"Yes well you needed rest, going back home could not have been easy on you."

"Understatement of the year." I joked. We picked up easy conversation, keeping it low so Ben could sleep. Soon the tank was running empty and we had no way to get more fuel. We woke Ben from his sleep and packed everything into bags to carry with us. "I'm so sorry baby, I will miss you."

"Are you talking to your car?" Ben questioned coming around to the front.

"Yes. Baby here has been a great car and I hate to leave her abandoned on the side of the road like this." He scoffed and shook his head walking away with Katie in town. I caught up quickly after leaving the keys in the glovebox so that someone else who may need her could use her. If they had fuel of course.

Soon daylight was back and I was feeling exhausted again. "We can't stop now, we need the light."

"I miss coffee." I said slumping against a tree.

"We have to at least find someplace other than the forest to hole up." Katie said looking around. She pulled a map from her bag and spread it out around us.

"There is a bar off this highway with an apartment above it." I said pointing to a spot a few miles away.

"Let's go then and hope no giant bar biker is holed up in there." Ben commented.

My feet hurt and my body sagged with exhaustion but we kept a steady pace. Soon the bar came into view, happiness flooded through me for a moment until a slight tapping noise sounded from behind the bar door. Ben walked over to inspect but the door gave way and walkers flooded out into the gravel parking lot. My knife was ready and Katie and I jumped into the fray to help Ben fight off the walkers. "RUN." He screamed as the biting jaw of a walker clamped down onto his shoulder.

"NOOOOOOOO." Katie screamed and tried to run to him but I pulled her back and dragged her into the tree line. Our feet hit the earth in hard footfalls. Leaves and branches cracked beneath us and our breathing was ragged.

We kept out pace up until we found a small cabin set in between two tall oak trees. The door was open and beyond further examination no one was inside. We closed up the door and secured the windows, keeping light low so we wouldn't be seen. "Katie?"

"Beth he… he… he's gone." I lunged forward wrapping her into a tight hug as she cried out for her lost love.

"I'm, so sorry Katie."

She wiped her eyes and fell back onto her behind. Her face was grave and her eyes swollen from crying.

"This world is a graveyard." I said aloud.

 **So this is way shorter than I had thought it would be but it gets us closer to a crucial part of the story. Ben it was nice knowing you. Rest in peace.**

 **Let me know what you think.**

 **Thank you to everyone who is reading and reviewing and following this story. I love you all!**


	15. Surviving

**Good Day Everyone. I hope you all had a marvelous holiday season. In this chapter we are jumping time a bit to line up Beth and Katie with Team family. Once the timelines are all matching you know what comes next. Reunion. That's right, the big reunion is right around the corner and I couldn't be more excited. Now with the holiday season over and the New Year rolling in I will be able to update a little sooner than I have been. I am gonna try and get this story wrapped up by the end of January so updates should be rolling in much faster. Anyway I hope you all enjoy this chapter, let me know what you think! I love to hear from you!**

Thinking back on my life before the walkers took over I never really lost much. Sure Daryl was gone and I took it really hard but thinking about it and everything I lost back then it is nothing compared to what people have and will lose now. Tears slip from my eyes as I think about the children, wives, mothers, fathers, husbands that have lost their lives and are wandering this world alone. Sure I am alone away from my family but I don't know for sure that they are dead, I might never know if they are dead. Hell I might be dead soon. The world has always been uncertain but it is even more so now. We all have jobs to do and my job is to get myself and Katie somewhere safe.

A few months ago Ben was taken from us and since her initial breakdown she hasn't said a word. Her watery brown eyes held so much sadness and grief that it was almost too hard to be around her. I couldn't leave her though. She helped get me home and she is my friend, I will get her to safety.

Normally we kept to the woods rather than walk along the highways, but the weather was growing cold and I knew we would need to find shelter soon. "Katie?" I asked. She turned her head to look at me, still not verbalizing her reply. Even without the talking she was good in a fight. "We need to find some place to stay the winter. It's getting to cold to keep walking." She nodded her head and look back out in front of her.

It didn't take long to find a small blink and ya miss it town her in North Carolina. We were along the coast now, the waves beating against the beach brought about a peaceful air amid the hell we faced every day. She pointed ahead to a small general store with a single gas pump. A second story sat at above the shop and the doors looked boarded up. We walked forward quietly and knocked twice to attract the attention of anything inside. When no sounds came we tried the door. "It's locked." She got out her lock picking tools that she found in a store a while back and got to work on the door. It soon opened up to reveal an almost fully stocked shop.

"Did no one think to loot the only shop in town?" I asked with a shake of my head. I turned to face Katie a moment and caught her smiling slightly. It was the first smile I have seen in months.

"More for us." She said. I started at the sound of her voice. It had been so long since I had heard it I had forgotten what it sounded like.

"You…"

"I need to get back to me."

"Okay, let me know what I can do to help you." She nodded in response and began searching the isles for anything we might need. I walked towards the spiral stairs the lead to the upstairs area. It opened up into a beautiful living area. A double bed sat against one wall and a desk on the other. The one window overlooked the ocean while the other focused on a cute little house across the street. A swing hung from a giant tree and the grass was overgrown all around it. "Maybe the people lived in that house." I said aloud to myself. I headed back down stairs to help Katie secure the place. We wouldn't need to leave here anytime soon. Our packs were ready by the door in case we had to make a fast exit, otherwise we were set to stay.

"Maybe we can find a car at some point." She mentioned during dinner.

"Yeah and check to see if that pump still has any gas. I just don't get why this place is untouched, and if it's so awesome here why is the family gone."

"We just need to keep our eyes and ears open, if it goes bad or seems like a trap we leave." I agreed and we went upstairs to settle in for the night. I kept watch first and we switched half way through the night. The light of the morning blasted into the windows creating a pretty glow in the room. I could hear Katie in the shop rummaging so I walked over to the small desk and pulled open the drawers, little notes and some photos sat tucked away with pens and markers of all colours.

I pulled out a little box, finding a handful of sealed letters with names and events written on them. I took them down to Katie. "I think one of the parents in the family that owned this place died before the walkers took over." I handed over the envelopes and she looked at them with a sad expression.

"At least she didn't have to watch her family die." I let it drop and returned the letters to the drawer before going back down to help take a better inventory of the supplies we had stumbled into.

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"Let's get on the road." Katie called up the stairs. Throughout the winter she had regained some of her old self. She was talkative and happy for the most part. It was nice having her back and having someone to talk to. I quickly descended the stairs and hoisted my full pack onto my back. We hadn't managed to get out and find a car so we were back to going on foot.

Spring was in the air and the heat was starting to get thicker as the days progressed. A few days after setting off from the small town we called home all winter we made it to the Virginia boarder.

"Well well well what do we have here?" A strong male voice asked from behind us. I spun around so fast my head spun a little but I didn't let it show.

"We don't want any trouble." I told him and the men behind him. Their clothing was dirty and gross and sick W's were etched into their foreheads.

"We just want what you have." The leader stated stepping closer to me. I fought the urge to back up.

"Well I want a lot of things as well but that ain't happening now is it."

"Snarky." One man commented. "Hand over your shit girlys or we will be forced to take them from ya."

"What makes you think we won't kill you?" Katie piped in. That earned us full belly laughs from all the three men standing in front of us. "That really wasn't a joke."

"Ya think you can kill all of us and get away unscathed." The leader asked. His voice held a sick menace to it that made my skin crawl. I changed a quick look at Katie and without words we knew what we had to do. In this world no one is innocent, no one gets to go through life with kid gloves and without getting blood on your hands. We dropped out packs behind us as if we were surrendering them to these awful people. They smiled twisted grins at us, it took only a second for them to lunge towards us with their knives at the ready. I lifted my knife and twisted out of the leaders grip, the blade of his knife caught my arm, I screamed out in pain as I plunged my knife deep into the side of his skull. He fell limp as Katie dispatched the other guy that had gone after her. We turned to the third man who stood watching the entire thing with a strange sense of glee.

"Your turn." I said through my teeth as pain radiated through my arm. He lunged for Katie and I heard her gasp as his knife made contact with her stomach. As he was busy watching her fall to the ground I slid the blade of my knife across his neck. He fell forwards and I just barely managed to get Katie out from under him. She moved to shove her knife in his head when I spoke next. "Let him turn."

I pulled bandages from my bag and got to work patching her up. "This is all I can do for now we have to find some place safer to do a better job." I explained as I helped her to her feet. I put both bags on my body and held her up so we could keep moving. Her cries of pain kept getting louder and louder the longer we walked.

Hours passed with many breaks in between, a small barn stood in the distance and I knew if we just got there we could patch her up correctly. A man stepped out of the barn, his clothes were clean, cleaner than I have seen since before the world took this dark turn. His hands held up in surrender and no weapon was seen. I pulled a gun from my waist and pointed it at the man anyway. No way was I taking a chance. We got closer to him and I let Katie slide to the ground, the packs went down with her as I sized up the man. "Hello." He started. "My name is Aaron and I come from a community not far from here."

"So." I replied.

"We have doctors and schools and people."

"People are dangerous." I pointed out.

"Beth we have to go, I can't keep… I can't keep going like this." Katie said from the ground next to me.

"What happened to your friend?" He questioned. I hesitated telling him what went down hours earlier but I couldn't lose Katie and knew this guy might be our best shot.

"A few hours ago we ran into some un-friendly men, they tried to kill us and stabbed her."

"I have a car and a partner a mile away. It will take about an hour from there to get to the town. I promise we won't hurt you or steal from you." I looked a Katie's pale face and knew we had to go. I nodded and put my bags back on and helped Katie stand. He came around to her other side and helped me carry her to the waiting car.

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A high steel wall appeared before us and the gate opened up as the car came into view. He pulled it quickly to a stop in front of a nice looking house. In fact all the lawns were perfect and this place looked completely untouched from the world outside the walls. Aaron stepped out and hollered to a person nearby. "Get Pete we need him now." The young woman took off down the street as Aaron pulled Katie from the car with the help of his partner Eric. They took her inside the house and I followed not wanting to leave her with these people. A man who I assumed was Pete staggered in and put on a pair of gloves. He looked slightly tipsy but we didn't have any other options.

Katie passed out and they doctor shooed everyone from the room as he got to work operating on her. I walked outside knowing I could do nothing for her now. "You okay?" a voice asked me as I sat down on the top step. I looked up to find a woman with strawberry blonde hair looking at me.

"Yeah, just worried about my friend."

"Can I look at your arm?" She asked. "Oh I'm Jessie by the way, the man in there Pete, he is my husband." I pealed my jacket and top shirt off and let her look at the wound. I winced as she touched it. She went inside and grabbed a few things before cleaning out the wound and stitching it up. "All better."

"Thanks." I replied with a small smile. She told me a bit about the town and that I would need to talk to the leader Deanna about myself. She walked me over to see her since Katie would be a while longer in surgery. "You must be Deanna." I stated as an older woman greeted us at the door.

"I am, welcome to Alexandria." She ushered me inside the very nice house and into a room with a camera.

"Never thought I would see one of these again." I pointed to it.

"We found a camera store not far from here and took what we could. How is your arm feeling?"

"Fine." I lied even though the pain was really starting to get to me.

"What did you do before all this?" She gestured around her. I thought a moment before speaking since I never really got to perform any shows on Broadway.

"I mothered my daughter and sang and acted in local productions and bars. I was in New York when everything started. I had finally gotten a shot at Broadway. Never performed though."

"That's wonderful, I'm sure I would have loved to see you live on the stage had it worked out that way. What happened to your daughter?"

"I don't know. She was with my family in Georgia while I got settled in the city. I made it back home and found almost everyone gone."

"I'm very sorry Beth."

"What else do you want to know about me?" I questioned her.

"Well everyone here has jobs to do, what kind of job would you be best at?"

"I take it singing and dancing is not an option." I chuckled. She shook her head with an amused expression on her face. "Well I wouldn't mind working in a school or with Aaron."

"I think a female recruiter would be a great idea." She replied. "So because it's just two of you we are going to place you in Aaron and Eric's house. They only take up one room so there is plenty left. I believe he is taking your bags there now."

"Sounds fine. This doctor Pete, he is not going to kill Katie is he?"

"No no Pete is a great doctor." I nodded in response. "Well those are all the questions I have for you. If you need anything please don't hesitate to ask. We hope you enjoy it here in Alexandria, Jessie will be by with care packages for you and for Katie. When she is well enough I will speak with her as well."

"Thank you." I said. I made my way to the door and found Eric waiting for me. "So I guess we are your new roommates."

"It's very exciting, when Katie is better we will have a spaghetti night. I love spaghetti." He said quickly. I smiled at him sweetly. "Come on I'll show you the house and then take you back to the clinic, Doc is almost done."

The house was a cute two story modest house. Three fair sized bedroom and two large bathrooms. A piano sat in the corner of the living room with music books piled on top. I walked over to it and ran my fingers over the ivory. "You play?"

"Yes."

"Maybe you'll show us sometime." Aaron said joining us in the room.

Katie was awake and looking much better when I got back to the clinic. The doctor was gone and she was ready to get to the house. She fell asleep fast, the exhaustion of the day's events catching up to her.

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"We will have to have another spaghetti night when we get back, maybe invite any new people we find." Eric said as we leaned against the RV waiting for Aaron to return with the new recruits he found a few days prior.

"Oh yeah that would be great and Katie can even invite Spencer over." I added.

"They are so cute you know. I mean I know I never knew Ben but I can't imagine her with anyone else."

"Her and Ben were perfect together but Spencer helps keep her together." I replied.

"So you and Aiden?" He asked, my cheeks flamed red.

"Nothing is going on with Aiden, nothing ever could."

"Oh come on Beth, nothing ever. Please you cannot just stay celibate your whole life." He scolded. I laughed a little and adjusted the gun on my hip.

"Please Eric, I so can. That's the power of being a woman, we can stay away from sex for a whole lot longer than men." We heard footsteps coming up from the south. I rolled my eyes at Eric when I heard my name.

"Beth?" It was barley a whisper on the wind but I heard it none the less. My head snapped in the direction it came from.

"Beth!" I turned to face the speaker fully, the gun falling from my hands.

"DARYL!" My voice was higher than I intended but I didn't care. I ran forward, flinging myself into her arms. He squeezed me tightly. "You're alive." I whispered.

 **Getting so close to that reunion. Next chapter to be exact. Can anyone tell me which movie their winter location is based on?**


	16. Together Again

**Dun dun dun…. Reunion time. Who is ready?**

 **Well without further ado….**

"DARYL!" My voice was higher than I intended but I didn't care. I ran forward, flinging myself into her arms. He squeezed me tightly. "You're alive." I whispered. He held me tightly in his arms, his face going to the crook of my neck as he inhaled deeply.

"Beth." He pulled his face back and looked into my eyes, tears filled his blue orbs threating to fall down his face in torrents. "I don't understand?"

"I got out of New York and went home Daryl I saw your wallet and I knew. I knew you had gone there and you had found…" I started. "I can explain. I never wanted to keep it from you. I tried to…"

"I know." He replied, his hands running over the sides of my face. "Hershel and Maggie explained what happened you don't gotta worry I ain't mad at you. Merle, now he I was made at." I laughed a moment before looking around. When I spotted her I jumped from his arms and wrapped her in a hug, holding my little girl close to my body.

"Sydney, sweet girl… you are okay and you have gotten so big and…"

"Hi mom. I missed you." She said back clinging to me tightly. Everything in my world was right once again. I had my daughter and I had Daryl back. Still holding Sydney close I turned to face him again. "Mom do you live at this place Aaron is talking about?"

"I do yes, you will love it there I promise." I told her. "Daryl… We need to talk when we get to town. Alone." He nodded his head and Eric ushered us all into the RV and the car. This Rick guy apparently wanted to go the route that we had not cleared but Daryl told him to trust me. I was pretty sure this guy had a few screws lose. I sat on the bench in the RV with Sydney tucked into my side. Maggie sat across from us with some guy who looked like he wanted to dive in front of a bullet for her.

"Bethy this is Glenn." She said when she noticed I was staring at him. "He is my husband." I blanched, unsure of when Maggie could have gotten married since I had only been gone a week before the outbreak. "We met when his group showed up at the farm. Daddy didn't want them to stay but Daryl was with them and…"

"You knew Daryl before the outbreak?"

"No him and his brother joined up with the group around the beginning." He answered. "Your sister and Sydney always speak very highly of you. I'm glad we found you."

"Technically my group found you." I stated.

Silence filled the RV as everyone was left to their own thoughts. I let my mind wander to a few months after I arrived with Katie at Alexandria.

" _Beth we need to talk." Deanna said as she rounded the corner and came face to face with me._

" _About what Deanna?"_

" _Rumor has it you are planning on leaving." She stated, no hint of a question within her words. I nodded my head once to let her know she had heard correctly. "You are far too valuable to this town, we can't have you running off on some suicide mission."_

" _Ma'am you told me this town is not a prison. I am not stuck here. I have a daughter out there somewhere I can feel it and I need to go and find her. I understand that leaves you down a part time teacher and recruiter but my family is out there someplace." I explained. "What would you do if it were Spencer and Aiden out there only eleven years old?"_

" _I would send Reg to look for them." She stated matter of fact._

" _Well I don't have the option of sending a husband out to search for her. Hell I am just hoping my daughter is still with her father." I said. "Please Deanna, let me do this."_

" _I can't risk your life to send you on your own. But I'll send you on more recruiting mission with Eric and Aaron. Go out a little farther and hopefully you will come across them."_

" _Fine." I replied and turned on my heel, stomping down the street to the little school to start class for the day._

"Beth we are back." Eric hollered from the driver's seat, snapping me out of my memories. I pushed my way out of the RV and opened the door. Letting the others follow me out.

"You okay?" Daryl whispered next to me ear. I jumped, startled at his sudden closeness.

"I'm fine yes." I replied. "Spence open the gate." I called out and the gate began to slide open.

"Large group ya got there B." Spencer said as we all began to walk into the walled in community.

"The biggest yet." I smiled. "Katie at the clinic?"

"Yeah, flu outbreak, couple people came down with it so Aiden and nick went and found some more meds."

"I'll have to go see if I can help in a bit."

Having Daryl here now I couldn't help but feel nervous and a little freaked out. While I wanted to go and sit and talk to him I also wanted to run and hide and not deal with any of this. I knew doing that would only cause problems so while the others went to talk to Deanna and interview for places in this town I took him aside and sat down on the top step of the house I share with Katie, Aaron, and Eric. The sun was setting in the sky and the warmth of the day was slowly turning cold. Nights in Virginia are a lot different than nights in Georgia.

"I didn't get there in time to save your mom." He started. I looked up from the spot on the ground I had been staring at intently to look into his eyes. "Everyone else was okay when we arrived."

"Where is my dad now?"

"We had this prison we turned into a home, everything was going well until some guy showed up and tried to take it. He captured your dad and killed him to make a point." He explained. I could feel the tears welling up in my eyes. "I'm sorry Beth, I couldn't keep him safe, I tried but…"

"It's not your fault, this world is messed up. I have lost friends out there, no one gets away unscathed."

"When I got to the farm there was this kid who looked just like you. I kinda freaked out and then I realized how old she was."

"I called and told Merle."

"I know he told me about six months ago or so. Syd is a pretty sweet kid." He said.

"Yeah, she didn't want to move to New York with me, said she wanted to stay with my parents instead." I laughed. "She is so much like you Daryl that it hurt sometimes. You were gone and you never came back. I understood you being gone when you were still under 18 but you never came back. I waited and waited and waited and you never showed. The years passed by and all I wanted was to see you again and it never happened, not how I wanted, how I imagined. Daryl why did you not come back for me? After everything we went through." I gulped in a big breath as my words tapered off.

"Beth I…" He started. "I wanted to go back but the more I thought about it the more I realized that you were always better off without me. I coulda been holding you back on so many things. I couldn't go back because that woulda been selfish of me."

"Did Merle get in your head?" I questioned. He just nodded. "Because that is the most fucked up reason I have ever heard. I'm pissed at you for not coming back home. I told you over and over again that I loved you and that we were forever but you let him influence your mind."

"I'm sorry Beth."

"You can apologize all you want but right now I need to clear my head. Go talk to Deanna I have work to do." I stormed off towards the clinic leaving him sitting on the step stewing with his thoughts. The initial shock and pleasure at seeing him again was gone and in its place was pure anger for all those years I spent raising our daughter on my own because he never could get himself to believe me when I told him he was my person. The love of my life.

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"Katie?" I called as I entered the clinic's main room. It was set in a house near the main gate. The walls were painted a nice off white color which I assume gave it the appeal for medical purposes.

"Hey Beth, didn't know you were coming back today." She said as she entered the room, wiping her hands on a towel.

"We found a group and brought them in." I said sitting down, my head was pounding now. "I found them."

"Found who?"

"Sydney and Daryl and so many more people. Katie Sydney is alive and well and she has been with Daryl almost the whole time and I just yelled at him and my head hurts and I don't know what to do." She chuckled sitting down next to me.

"Well first I wanna meet this guy and your kid she sounds great. Then you cool down and you go and get him back. If losing Ben has taught me anything it's that you don't have much time in the world and you never know when that person you love is going to be gone. Don't waste time being angry for the past. Look to the present and the future." Sometimes she was so wise, I wanted to keep being mad but she was right. One moment everything was great and the next Ben was dead and we were on our own.

"You are right. Come on I want to introduce you to Sydney and my sister Maggie. She somehow found love in this shitty world and is married. He seems nice enough." I explained as we exited the building and walked towards Deanna's. "I'm happy you know. That he's here."

"It's okay to freak out B. It happens just don't let it control you."

"Sydney, Maggie." They walked over. "This is my friend Katie, she was one of the people who helped get me out of the city. Kate this is Sydney and my sister Maggie."

"It's nice to meet you both."

"You as well Miss Katie." Sydney said extending her hand to shake Katie's. After the shake Maggie turned to Glenn.

"This is my husband Glenn. It's nice to meet you and thank you for saving my sister."

"Oh it wasn't really me, my… my boyfriend Ben did most of the work." By the break in her words the others knew not to ask about Ben.

"Well have you spoken to Deanna yet?"

"Yes we have, Aaron wants to show us some houses or something." Maggie told me.

"Sydney is actually going to come stay with me. But the houses we have picked out for the rest of you are lovely." I told my sister.

"You are not going to come live with us?" She asked, shock and hurt in her voice.

"No, I have a house and I am not living with a bunch of strangers on top of each other when I have my own bed and shower. You have lived this long without me I'm sure you can manage."

"Mom what about dad?"

"I don't know yet sweet pea."

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Getting Sydney to the house was easy, getting her in the shower was even easier. Getting her to let Daryl be for the night was another thing. "Mom I need dad." I didn't realize they would grow so close in such a short amount of time but then I should have known her heart was like mine. Open and easy to get into. I put her to bed on the sofa with the promise to get him.

I walked out into the cool night air, it was dark out and it took a moment for my eyes to adjust. "You just going to sit out here all night?" I asked him when I spotted him on the steps. He had showered and combed back his unruly hair.

"I was."

"Well you can come in. Everyone else is in bed and Sydney wants to say goodnight."

"Are you going to take her from me?"

"I would never." I said sitting down next to him. I leaned into him a little. "I was angry and I just kinda lost it but Daryl, you are my person. I'm calmed down now and I don't know how much time we have left in this world. I want to make the most of it." I stood up and pulled him with me. "Come on inside." He followed me in, he deposited a kiss to Sydney's forehead and then followed me up the steps and into my room.

I didn't bother turning on the light as his lips found mine in the dark. His name escaped my lips like a whisper as we parted for air a few moments later. "I missed you so damn much Beth." His lips were on my neck then sucking at my pulse point.

"I missed you too." My hands grabbed fistfuls of hair, tugging him closer to my body. I could feel the burning need rise in the pit of my stomach as his hands caressed over my body. "I want you Daryl, all of you."

With that the night became a blur. Clothes scattered all over my room as quiet moans filled the air. The night was perfect. My world was perfect. But tomorrow is another day, another day where we don't know what will happen. I couldn't think of that now though as I feel into the most peaceful sleep I had had in years.

 **Well there is was. I hope it was everything you expected. I know her moods flipped a bit but it's just because she was confused. More coming soon. This is not the end. Now it's time to see how they do together as parents and what more trouble lies ahead for our favourite couple. Also good things are coming!**


	17. Thowing it to the Wolves

Daryl's POV

Being back in the presence of Beth after all these years has been great albeit a bit unsettling at first. I haven't been sure how to really act around her after the first few days of us just being happy. Sydney was delighted to have her mother back and Maggie would barley leave her side.

"Whatcha thinkin' about?" Beth asked as she sat down heavily on the sofa in the living room of the house she shared with Aaron, Eric and Katie. Who I learned lost her boyfriend while out searching for Sydney.

"You." I answered. I figured being honest is probably the best way to move forward. I was never the best with words but after leaving her on her own to deal with the biggest life change I found using my words wasn't the worst thing. "Me bein' an idiot all those years ago."

"You didn't know."

"I know but we were best friends first Beth. I shoulda never stayed gone. I shoulda found a way to leave Merle and not let him and his shit get in my head."

"True." She replied. "But you can't change the past Daryl you just have to move forward now and make the most of it."

"When did ya get so wise Beth?"

"Well A good friend of mine named Katie told me all this once." She laughed.

"Good friend." I said quietly.

The front door swung open revealing Rick and some lady from town. Three weeks ago when we arrived in Alexandria I figured we would be gone in a matter of days, that Rick would flip out and try to leave. Then he met Jessie Anderson and killed her husband. "We got a problem." He said as a way to get me up off the couch and out the door. Beth and I followed him down into the street where a few other people from both groups stood talking.

"The wolves are getting closer and the problem is just getting worse. We need to take action against them or we could lose everything." Carol pointed out to the group gathered.

"We are not prepared to fight anyone." Deanna told her. "These people. My people are not fighters. We live here in peace."

"You wanna die in peace lady." Carol said, her voice going into crazy mode.

"Woah, Carol slow down. We can start by training them. Get them ready in case anything happens but we don't want to just throw them to the wolves. No pun intended." I spoke up. Beth stood next to me and rolled her eyes at my slight joke.

"Everyone, if you are able are you willing to learn how to fight to defend our town from bad people who want it?" Beth spoke.

Head's bobbed up and down in agreement with Beth. Her soft voice powerful among these people. "Good, then we will set up classes with weapons and fighting so that everyone gets up to speed. We will start today. Come see me in the school in 1 hour for your schedules and teachers. Rick, Daryl, Carol, Maggie, Glenn, you will be instructors. Pick anyone in your group you want as a partner to help you teach. Find a spot in town and be ready in an hour and half for your students." With that she walked away in the direction of the school.

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"Let's start with knife handling." I said to the group of men and women gathered in front of me on the lawn on Beth's house. Everyone had a blade in hand as I showed them how to hold it properly. "Very good, now strike out." I commanded. The suburban housewives were actually doing well with the knives which for some reason surprised me. "Now remember the walkers are not the only danger out there, these people will be alive. They are worse than walkers. They have no mercy even though they do have working brains that should tell them right from wrong. If you see these people you strike. If you can hit the jugular the better. Maggie is gonna show you hand to hand combat."

"Shouldn't the kids in your group be taught this?" A woman in her 30s asked.

"Shelly don't you think those kids already know how to fight, I mean look at their fathers."

"Sydney and Carl are highly trained with all of these weapons already. They know how to fight in hand to hand and they could survive on their own in the woods if it came down to it." I told them, hoping they would drop it.

"You think Jessie is gonna teach her kids?"

"Not my concern right now. Focus on your strikes." I walked around the group helping where I could. Sydney walked over and sat on the steps to watch. "Keep your feet planted firmly. You fall over you could die."

I watched as Sydney walked over to that Shelly woman. "Keep your elbow closer you don't want to flail. If you do someone could grab your arm easier and twist it real bad." Her voice was light and soft like her mom's as she explained it to the older woman. She smiled sweetly and walked back over to sit again.

The day progressed in a similar fashion with the groups rotating between trainers. Sydney stayed close to me and helped where she could. By the end I was exhausted and more than happy to sit on the top step with her. "You okay kid?"

"Yeah I'm good dad."

"You happy to have mom back?" I asked her knowing what her answer would be.

"Yes of course. I am so happy to have her back. It's just weird having both of you at the same time. It was always mom and then she was gone and it was just you. It's strange too because you guys keep acting funny."

"What do you mean acting funny?"

"Well you came out of her bedroom the first morning and then you looked all awkward and silly and then the next few days you guys avoided each other and now you talk and sometimes hold hands and stuff but you still act weird." She explained.

"It's been a long time since we saw each other, it's takin' some getting used to being around each other again."

"You love mom?"

"Course."

"Mom loves you?"

"I think so."

"She does."

"Why did ya ask then?" I questioned her.

"I dunno."

"don't I dunno." I replied.

"I wanted to see if you knew or not." I chuckled a bit as I looked over at her. "Do you think those people are going to attack us?"

"Probably."

"Are they gonna be as bad as the governor?" She questioned.

"I think they are going to be worse." I told her honestly. She shivered a little and I could hear the door open a little behind us but paid no attention to it.

"The governor chopped grandpa's head off with a sword I can't see how these people will be worse. Two swipes that's all it took how could these wolf people compare?" Her explaining what had happened to Hershel caught me off guard. I knew she had been witness to it, I had just hopped she had let it slip from her mind.

"I don't know I just gotta feeling." I heard a slight gasp behind me, I turned to see Beth standing in the open door with her mouth open and her eyes full of unshed tears. "Beth?"

"Someone cut his head off?" She asked as she let those tears fall freely down her plump pink cheeks. I stood quickly and told Sydney to wait in the living room. Beth ran past the sofa and up stairs to her room. I followed her quickly taking the stairs two at a time.

"Beth I'm sorry."

"Why didn't you tell me." She said in an angry tone. "Why has no one told me?"

"We wanted to spare you the truth. You didn't have to see it all you needed to hear was that he is gone." I explained.

"BUT SYDNEY SAW IT." She screamed.

"Yes."

"And Maggie?" Her voice was lower and a little more calm now.

"Yes."

"And you?"

"Yes Beth. We all saw it. We all were standing there with our guns raised looking to get a shot and then it happened so fast. The sword took his head from his shoulders and then shots were fired on both ends and everyone went into chaos. We were all scattered for the longest time. I was on my own and it took a lot to find Sydney again." I explained. Her face went through a series of emotions, finally settling on relief.

"Did he suffer?"

"Not much." I told her hoping it would help ease her mind.

"Do you know if my mom and Shawn suffered?" She said changing the subject from her father.

"I don't know, they were gone before I got to the farm. Maggie wouldn't talk about them, and Pat and Otis they stayed quiet as well."

"Thank you for telling me." I nodded my head and grabbed her hand. "I'm glad you found her. She would be dead right now if you hadn't."

"We don't know that Beth."

"I do. You are strong and you have taught her to be strong. I watched her help you teach today. She is so very brave and smart and loyal and..."

"She's perfect Beth." She smiled and sat down on the bed. "Nothing is gonna keep our family apart again."

"Let's get married." She said out of the blue.

"Excuse me?"

"Not today but later when this is all over with the wolves and we have a minute to breath we should get married. We would have before if things had been different and Merle had left you alone. I just know it."

"Why don't we talk about it later. Let's go get some dinner and then relax before bed."

"Will you stay here with me now?"

"Yeah."

.

.

.

.

Dinner went by quickly and then Beth retired over to the piano. Her fingers danced across the keys like I imagined them back at that funeral home. Soon her voice joined the music and a soft song played around us.

 _ **You've got bad dreams from the broken wedding rings  
That you keep under your pillow while you sleep  
And there's open spaces, blank faces  
When you search for answers on the street**_

 _ **Oh, there's no one left to call  
Nothin' much to say  
Pretty sure the world is gonna end today  
Drink up one last whiskey, head to the dance  
Baby, this is our last chance  
Baby, this is our last chance**_

 _ **So gimme whatcha, gimme whatcha got tonight  
Pack a cigarettes  
Baby, I'm your light  
Gimme whatcha, gimme whatcha, gimme whatcha can  
I'm the last pretty girl  
You're the last decent man**_

 _ **I've got broken heart pieces swimming in my bed  
Broken conversations floatin' in my head  
A let down little mermaid trying to find air at the top  
Pretty sure this spinning world's about to stop  
So I cover up in glitter, head to the dance  
Baby, this is our last chance  
Baby, this is our last chance**_

 _ **When the world is on fire,  
But your heart is on ice,  
It's hard to know what's wrong and what's right  
But if you wanna feel your blood burn, get to the floor  
Scream to God, "I want it more!"  
More hurricanes, snow storm, rain in my face  
More midnights drunk and dizzy dancin' at your place  
A life of fame and fortune and the star of some show  
Now it's almost over, almost time to go, oh, go, oh, go oh, go, oh oh, oh...**_

 _ ****_

 _ **So gimme whatcha, gimme whatcha got tonight  
Pack a cigarettes  
Baby, I'm your light  
Gimme whatcha, gimme whatcha, gimme whatcha can  
Baby, this is our last chance  
Baby, this is our last chance**_

She turned her head to look at me, her sun shaming smile plastered on her face as her big blue eyes danced in the soft light. Tonight was a perfect night.

.

.

.

.

The sun streaming in the window woke me up early the next day. Beth was still wrapped in my arms fast asleep and I could hear humming coming from the kitchen. I slowly and softly detached myself from Beth and tossed on some clothes and made my way down the steps.

"Good morning Dad." Sydney chimed from next to Katie at the stove.

"Morning Daryl." Katie said turning back to her cooking.

"Where's mom?"

"Sleeping still." I said. "And good morning." A loud crashing sound startled me. I ran to the door as a horn blared in the distance. "What the hell?" Beth ran down stairs in attack mode ready for the day. I walked closer to the front of the lawn as the moans of the dead began to fill the air. I could see now a part of the wall was down and the steeple was no longer in the distance. "Get back inside." I told the others. "Gear up. The wall is down." Katie and Beth ran up to get Aaron and Eric and more weapons while I prepped Sydney to run. "We are gonna have to get out of here."

"What about Judy and the others?"

"They are going to have to figure it out on their own. My job is to get you and mom out of here. We have a meeting place already. If the others get out they will meet us there." She nodded and strapped on a few knives and grabbed the gun I had given her before. We were geared and waiting for the others to get down stairs.

The door flung open with a bang. I pushed Sydney behind me and held my bow up in front of me. "I'm gonna take everything you got man. My people are in charge now. Give me your weapons and your women."

"Not gonna happen." Beth said from the top of the stairs. A gun shot rang throughout the house as the man with a W carved into his forehead fell to the ground limp. "Let's move. I know a back way out. We need to get to the far side." Katie, Aaron and Eric were behind her as the group of us fled the house with minimal belongings. We ran as fast as we could to the far side of the town. Beth climbed up over the wall and I could hear her land with a thud. "Next." She said just loud enough that we could hear. I helped push Sydney up and Beth caught her on the other side. Then went Katie, and Aaron, and Eric. The walkers were getting closer and closer as I started my climb up the wall. "Daryl hurry." Beth's rushed voice said from the other side. I let out a small grunt as something caught a hold of my leg...

 **Okay well this chapter took me forever to get out and I am so sorry. Please let me know what you think. One more big story bump and then hopefully happiness. Thank you to everyone who has been reading and reviewing it means so much to me.**


	18. Wolves

**Hey everyone, I know it has been forever since my last update. I do apologize. Life has been insane. Anyway to those who mentioned that the last chapter seemed to move quick it is because it did. Time jumped. They had been at Alexandria for a while together. I just moved forward into the next hurdle because some big important Bethyl goodness is coming soon. I just had to get them out of town and on edge.**

 **This chapter is starting with a flashback to fill in a gap left by the time jump. Also in this story the wolves are the ones who released the quarry full of walkers and Rick and co had no clue they were there.**

 **I do not own the walking dead or the characters.**

 **BPOV**

 _Dishes clanked in the sink of soapy water, my hands pruned from washing. With my eyes closed I could imagine I was back home on the farm doing the dishes in the big sink looking out the large picture window onto the farm land that went on and on. I could imagine my mom somewhere off in the background humming some song or other while Maggie and Shawn fought over the remote control in the living room. The feel of the bubbles on my hands almost too much to bear as the memories assault my mind. "Mom?" I hear the muddled word breaking into my cloudy mind. "Mom?"_

 _I turn my head coming back to the present. "Yes Sydney?"_

" _Do you need any help?" She asked me. The small window above the sink letting the bright sunlight into the room was a welcome sight. The suffocating steel walls looming around the town not so much. Life really is different now._

" _Sure. Grab a towel and you can dry them." I replied. She did just that and came to stand next to me._

" _Are you and dad going to be okay?"_

" _Why do you ask that?" I questioned._

" _Well at first you were so happy and then you were angry and then happy and now you just avoid each other. I don't understand." I sigh as I hand her the plate I had been scrubbing for at least five full minutes._

" _It's complicated sweetie."_

" _No mom it's not. You are either happy to have dad back or you aren't. Why do you need to make it complicated?"_

" _How about the three of us have dinner tonight. Just us?"_

" _Are you sure?" She questioned me. I looked over to my little girl all grown up and smiled. She was so young and youthful when I left for New York. Now the horrors of the world show on her pretty face. She has aged long before kids should have to. Her childhood robbed. Tears spring to my eyes as I think of all the things I wanted for her._

" _Yes. I'll make pasta."_

" _Yay. Okay I'm gonna go tell him." She said tossing the towel on the counter and sprinting to the front door. I could hear her footsteps on the stairs and then all was quiet. I went back to the task at hand and had everything finished in no time._

" _Hey Beth." Katie said as she sat at the kitchen bar with a granola bar in hand._

" _Hey."_

" _So I couldn't help but hear your conversation with Sydney." She started. I turned to look at her, drying my hands on a towel and leaning against the sink. "All those months on the road you spoke about Daryl and the great love you shared and how he most likely had your kid with him and they just had to be safe out there somewhere."_

" _Yeah so?"_

" _So, you were right and now you have the chance to be happy yet you are pushing it away. Why?" She asked._

" _What if I lose him again?"_

" _It's part of life Beth. I had to move past losing Ben and I am getting there. You still have him alive and here. Don't waste this time." She said standing up and leaving the room. I knew in my head and my heart that she is right._

" _Hey Beth." Daryl said as he walked into the kitchen with Sydney clinging to his side like he would disappear into thin air. "Smells good."_

" _Thank you. It is almost ready." I answered pulling the boiling pot off the burner and over to the sink where the strainer is waiting. "Wash up please." I told them. The both scurried off to the bathroom to scrub their hands clear of whatever dirt they messed around in today. A few minutes later Daryl was pulling plates and forks onto the table and filling glasses with a soda he must have brought with him. I walked over with the bowl of pasta and placed it on the table, spotting the bottle of soda a wide smile spread across my face. "Where on earth did you find that?" I asked in amusement._

" _The pantry." He stated._

" _I remember that day like it was yesterday." I confessed. He smirked and sat down across from me._

" _What day mom?" Sydney questioned._

" _Your dad and I were fourteen I think and he said he wanted to surprise me so I waited in the barn and he showed up with a bottle of this pop, a jar of pig's feet and a pack of ding dongs. We had a little feast in the hayloft." I explained._

" _Gross pig's feet." She exclaimed loudly. Daryl laughed at her comment and look up at me. His blue eyes locked onto mine and I held his stare. After a long while he looked down to his plate._

" _They are gross but your dad likes them." I said._

 _Dinner continued in a similar fashion, comfortable conversation, smiles and laughs. Night fell and Daryl headed back to the other house for the night leaving Sydney and I alone to clean up from dinner and prepare for bed. "I love you sweet pea."_

" _I love you too mom." She wrapped her small strong arms around my waist in a tight hug._

.

.

.

.

The sound of a hand connecting to the metal of the wall in a loud thud made my heart skip a beat. Daryl's loud grunt brought my full attention back to the wall in front of me instead of on the other survivors behind me. "DARYL." I called out in fear. I just got him back, we finally found a way to make this work, no way in hell am I letting damn walkers take him from me. I tried to scale the wall to get back in and see what was happening but with no hand or footholds it was pointless. "Aaron help me get back over." I begged.

"No way Beth, it's too dangerous, we gotta keep moving." He replied, pulling on my arm.

"But Daryl…"

"Beth you gotta worry about Sydney now. Daryl is a grown man, he can take care of himself. He wouldn't want anything to happen to either of you." I knew he was right and moved to let him pull me towards the tree line. With a backward glance at the wall as we moved quickly away I could see the tip of the crossbow make it's way over the top of the wall. I pulled my arm from Aaron's grasp and spun around, stopping in my tracks. The others soon followed suit. With a loud thud Daryl landed on the hard earth after catapulting himself over the wall.

"Daddy." Sydney ran to help him up, dodging a walker in the process. Lifting his bow he shot the stray walker and got to his feet. Together they ran back to us. His strong arms wrapped around my body holding me close. My hand moved to hold his head in place as my lips found his. A throat cleared behind us, forcing us to pull apart.

"We gotta get moving you too." Katie said. Our hands glued together we walked forward. We soon found a road and attempted to go to the place Daryl and Rick planned to use as a meeting point. It was clear that the place was overrun by the walkers that seemed to come out of nowhere. We turned back the way we came and tried for a different destination.

The light began to fade as night would soon set in. We made camp in a small convenience store on the edge of a small town. "Where do we go from here?" I asked to no one in particular. Sydney had her head in my lap and was fighting sleep.

"I don't know. Maybe we try and find another settlement." Katie suggested.

"We still gotta find the rest of our people?" Daryl piped in. "Side's if we can get the walkers out and the wall put back up…"

"You think we can save Alexandria?" Eric asked him.

"We gotta try don't we?"

"What if we go back to Georgia?" I added. "The farm is still standing. Just gotta clear away all the bodies."

"You wanna go back to the farm?"

"It's my home. It was your home too." I said. "There is enough rooms for all six of us. We can build a fence around the main house and make it safe. We have well's and we can find solar panels. We can make it safe and make it a home again. Besides that property has been in my family for over 100 years."

"Our home has always been here though Beth." Eric added. "Leaving now seems kind of wrong."

"Daryl?"

"I want my family safe. That's all that matters."

"Dad we couldn't keep the farm safe before what if we go back and lose it again." Sydney spoke up from where she lay listening to the conversation.

"I say we fight and try and find the rest of our family. Then we go back to the farm and we make it safe, we make it home again." I said with as much strength in my voice as possible. Nods of agreement came from everyone, then silence as everyone attempted to get some much needed rest.

.

.

.

.

"Wake up, Beth it's time to get moving." A soft beautiful voice sounded in my ear. I turned towards the sound, rolling onto the toe of a boot. A small pain shot through my arm alerting me. I looked up into the blue eyes of Daryl Dixon, the man I have loved since I was 5 years old. "You okay?" He asked squatting next to my head.

"Yeah why?"

"Ya got some weird look on yer face." I scrunched up my nose and moved to stand up. Everyone else was packed up and ready to go.

"Why didn't you wake me earlier?" I question a little angry.

"Tried. You were out like a light." I squinted as I looked to the window by the door, the light was bright shining inside. I shook my head and stood up, stretching as I went.

"Let's move out." I said trying to sound like a military general directing troops. It earned me a few smirks but no one actually moved for a moment. I pulled my few things into a bag and we headed out into the bright sun light. "So where should we start looking for Rick and the others?" I asked.

"We should head back towards Alexandria, see if they left a trail. We might have more of these wolves to deal with." Daryl told us. We kept to the tree line as we wandered back towards Alexandria. The cries of the dead still filled the air in the distance, our path cut short. A small shack stood off to the side, no walkers in sight. I marched up to it quickly, my knife in hand. A small note pinned to the door caught my attention.

 _ **Not safe**_

 _ **Going home to see Shane**_

 _ **Rick Grimes**_

"Daryl, come take a look at this." I called out. He came up quickly. "Does this mean anything to you?" He read over the words before looking up at me, his eyes alight with something I couldn't quite place.

"I know where to go." He said, his voice light.

"I don't think any of you are going anywhere." A hard, cold, detached voice said. We whirled around to find the voice. A man had a knife to Katie's throat. Aaron and Eric stood guarding Sydney as the man who spoke was joined by a few others. The letter W carved into their dirty foreheads. "Now we know you killed our friend, he was just trying to take what is rightfully ours. Now hand over your weapons and your packs."

"Go to hell." I spit. His knife dug a little deeper into Katie's throat making her cry out.

"We are wolves, wolves take what they want. We grew weak before but now we can rise again. So I'm not going to ask again. Hand over everything you have or your little friend here dies. If you keep fighting us, the kid goes next. You don't want that now do you." His voice like acid made my blood run cold in my veins. A shudder ripped through my body as I placed my one knife on the porch below my feet. I looked into Katie's eyes, she knew what to do. The others would just have to follow suit.

With one swift kick Katie lurched forward, the knife cutting into her throat as she escaped his arms. I jumped into the fray with a different knife. I plunged the blade into the neck of the man closest to me as Katie rounded out the man who had held her. Daryl and the others quickly took note of what was happening and jumped into help. Grunts and screams filled the almost silent air around us, my knife pierced the side of one attacker as Sydney appeared behind him with her gun. The bullet went in through the back and out his left eye. He fell limp to the ground as she hurried behind me.

It seemed to go on forever as more and more attackers came out of the woods to fight us. I could see the wear and tear on the others as I chanced a quick glance around. Soon though all was silent again as the attackers lay dead on the ground around us. I scanned over everyone, taking note of small cuts and bruises. Looking to my left I saw Katie slump to the ground holding her neck. "Katie." I ran to her, falling to my knees. "You're gonna be okay. Please be okay." I whispered putting pressure onto the wound. Her neck continued to bleed profusely. "Stay with us Katie, please." I begged.

She shook her head slightly as words tried to form in her mouth. "I get… to see Ben… again." The words finally fell from her lips, her eyes closed, and her breathing slowed. I held her hand as the last of her life slipped from her. I stood with tears in my eyes and looked at the others.

"She gets to see Ben again." I walked forward away from the pain and sadness of losing yet another friend. Another person I had grown to love as family.

"I'll find a shovel, we can bury her here. It's quiet. The others we burn." Daryl told the group. "Sydney stay close please."

"Yes dad." She replied. I sat down on a log and stared into the distance. "Mom come on we are gonna have a small service for Katie." I turned at the sound of my daughter's voice. I followed her back behind the cabin to the spot with the upturned dirt and a small wooden cross. We all stood around in silence for a long while. No one really knowing what to say to start.

Finally I couldn't take the quiet and spoke up about my friend. "Katie saved my life. Her and Ben. If it wasn't for them I never would have made it out of New York. I never would have been reunited with my daughter. Katie always had advice ready and waiting when needed. She was the most amazing friend I could have ever asked for in this world we now live in. When we lost Ben, she had wanted to die to, he was her other half, her person. Now may the rest in peace together forever."

"Goodbye Katie." Sydney said from next to me. Her hand held tightly in my own.

"We should get moving, we are way too close to Alexandria and all those walkers." Eric said as we stood away from the grave and little cabin. "Where did the note say we needed to go?"

"The farm."

"How do you know that? Rick said he was going home." I asked him.

"He said he was going home to see Shane." Daryl started.

"Shane died at the farm. He is why we lost it in the first place." Sydney added. "He wanted to kill Rick and they made lots of noise."

"Kid how do you know all that?"

"Carl and I talk." She answered. "Let's go now." She urged. With Darkness upon us we kept to the tree line and walked quietly and slowly. We don't want any extra attention.

 **Only a few more chapters to go and this lovely little gem will be all wrapped up. Who do you think survived and has made it too the Farm (heading that direction anyway)? Will the remaining members of our group make it all the way to the farm or is Daryl and Beth going to lose more people along the way.**

 **My original intention was to have them end up at hilltop however having never read the comics and the show not getting there yet I don't know much about it other than its name and that Maggie ends up there. So since this story is about family, and finding a home together in the end times. I have decided to send them home. Now let's see how they fair.**

 **Let me know what you think**


	19. Through the Storm

**And we are back for the next installment of Through Time…**

 **Katie is gone and the group is on the move. What will happen next now that the wolves are a non-issue?**

DPOV

I could tell we were getting close to Georgia as the heat started to get worse and worse. We stuck to the woods as much as possible both for protection from the heat and for protection from other people. The amount of walkers was thin as we kept up a fast pace during the days. "I'll keep watch first tonight." Beth said as we made camp in an old moonshine shack. It was clear to me that we had finally crossed over into Georgia. I nodded my head and dropped her hand as I helped Sydney get set for the night.

Eric and Aaron are huddled in their sleeping bag and Sydney has passed out with her face covered by her own sleeping bag. I stood up stretching my muscles and hearing the telltale sound of a pop. I walked quietly over to where Beth sat on a log staring into the distance. "Hey." I said quietly as I joined her on the log.

"You should get some rest Daryl." She replied as her eyes moved across my face before looking back out into the darkness.

"I'll rest when I'm dead."

"That is so not funny Dixon." She had turned her attention back to me, her strong arm swinging out to connect with my shoulder. After the punch landed she withdrew her hand and held it tightly. "Good god when did you get so hard muscled." She asked in slight pain.

"Merle ain't the easiest guy to live with. Had to be tough to survive. Then ya know this world it ain't the smoothest of lives." She shuddered and turned away from me to keep her watch.

"Did you finish school?"

"Nah, I tried but it kinda got lost along the way." I answered.

"Daryl?"

"Yeah Beth?"

"I'm sorry for acting weird when you first got to Alexandria."

"Don't worry about it we both acted weird. We had been apart for so long it only made sense to not go back to the way things were right away. I mean we both changed a ton over the ten years."

"That's true."

"So what was it like findin' your own place in New York?" I asked her.

"Amazin', better than I ever thought it could be. I could really see Syd and I making a good life there. It was in this cute neighborhood and it had a little nook for reading. I just wish Sydney would have been able to see it. To see the life that she was fighting against so hard." She explained.

"Well now we get to make a new life."

"Together."

I nodded my head in agreement. We sat in comfortable silence for a while, both enjoying the peacefulness of the quiet forest. Back when we first left Georgia to go on the ill-fated DC mission I kept my head focused on the tasks at hand. I didn't give myself time to really think about the fact that I was leaving the only place I had ever known. Being back in these woods was a silent blessing.

"So Sydney and the Carl kid?" She asked me, trying to play it cool.

"Just friends. At least the better be." I replied. "Too young to even think about dating."

"Daryl you know it will happen eventually."

"Not if I can help it." Her light musical laugh filled the air around me and I couldn't help but smile. Not too long ago I feared I would never hear that sound again. I will do anything to keep her laughing. "What?"

"I always knew you would be that crazy over protective shotgun or well crossbow wielding dad that would scare away any boy."

"Damn straight." I said with a straight face.

"Poor Sydney." She mocked. "Well at least there ain't so many options left for her when it comes to boys. That Carl kid seems nice enough."

"Beth we ain't even gonna entertain that idea until she's like 40. Got it."

"Yes Sir. Mr. Dixon sir."

I rolled my eyes at her as my hand found her's on her thigh. Squeezing her fingers tightly in my own we took up silence one again.

.

.

.

.

"You two go sleep we got watch." Eric said coming to stand next to where Beth and I were leaning against each other watching the forest. It was still dark around us, the stars hidden by heavy tree foliage. We stood together and moved quietly to find a place to sleep without waking Sydney up. Aaron and Eric took our places on the log and leaned into each other to take over watch. For the first time in a while I fell asleep almost instantaneously. Beth wrapped in my arms with her head on my chest.

Morning came all to quickly, the bright Georgia sunlight blasting my eyes. Sydney was up helping make some food with Eric while Beth was nowhere to be seen. "Morning Daddy." Syd chimed.

"Mornin'. Where's your mom?"

"She went to the little creek not too far with Aaron. They wanted to gather some water and I think she had to pee." I stood up from the ground and walked over to a nearby tree to relieve myself and then made my way down to the creek to see if I could help with anything. Her beautiful voice chimed from the distance as I grew closer to the creek. The water flowing in the background reminded me of the more beautiful aspects of spending time in the woods.

"I didn't think I could be this happy again." She said.

"Having your soulmate with you is cause for happiness Beth, I'm glad you got your love back."

"Thank you. I know that Virginia has always been your home but I promise you and Eric are going to love living on a farm."

"We have always been city people, I know with this world everyone has to adjust it's just weird going into small town farm life."

"Hey it could be prison." She laughed.

"Daryl and his group lived in a prison for a while." He said.

"Sydney told me. I can't believe they found a way to make a home and a life in a place like that but I am glad they had the fences for however long it lasted."

"So we have a lot of bodies to clean up when we arrive?" He asked her changing the subject.

"Yeah but it should take too long. We just burn em and then build some fences around the main house. It'll be a lot of work but worth it in the end." I left the safety net of the trees and emerged into the clearing.

"Need a hand?"

"Oh yes thank you. We have lots of water to carry and I caught a fish." Beth said with a big sun shaming smile. I grinned at her and grabbed two of the jugs. We walked back side by side with Aaron on her other side. Sydney was giggling when we got back to camp. "What's so funny?"

"Eric was telling me the story of when the walkers started tearing apart the city. Him and Aaron found refuge in a bakery that was famous for Jalapeno bagels."

"We had a lot of baked goods to eat but they were pretty hard to stomach at first. If I never see another jalapeno again it will be too soon." Aaron chuckled as he set a jug of water on the ground. "Whoever had that idea was nuts."

"Can you imagine burning your mouth every day?" She said through laughter. "When are we going to start moving again?"

"After we cook up this fish and clean up a bit." Beth said handing her catch over to Eric who quickly cleaned it and put it on the fire.

We all sat around sharing the fish before putting everything into backpacks and getting back on the road. The silence around us was nice and not awkward. No one felt the need to fill the time with annoying chatter which I am thankful for.

The wind began to pick up and increase in speed. "We gotta find cover!" I hollered over the sound of the wind.

"I hope this doesn't hit the farm house." Beth called back as we marched quickly through the woods looking for any place we could take cover through the storm.

A small house came into view in line with a few rows of other houses. A little town sat off to the side. We ran up to it and checked as best we could for walkers before pushing our way into the front room. "Got it." Beth yelled as she plunged her knife into the skull of a walker that ambled out of the kitchen. "Check all the rooms then get to the basement."

Everyone stayed quiet as we checked the house quickly and then moved as one to the small basement. "This happen a lot?" Aaron questioned as we sat ourselves in a doorway.

"A bit not as bad as Kansas though." I answered.

"I miss the city." Eric said quietly. "How long do we stay down here?"

"Well for now we spend the night and tomorrow we will assess and see how to proceed and if we can scavenge anything." Beth answered before I could. The wind whipped and howled around the house. A few more minutes in and the sound of a car lifting and being thrown to the earth rattled the walls. "This is a bad one." Beth commented. Her arms wrapped tightly around Sydney as we sat still hoping the home would hold.

The sound of the roof flying off the house had me on my feet trying to protect my family from certain death. The wind whipped into the basement….

 **So I have had a serious case of writers block and so I am so sorry this has taken so long to get out. I hope it has been worth the wait. Next chapter we find out how everything with the tornado worked out and possibly who all made it out of Alexandria alive.**

 **Tell me who you want to be waiting with Rick at the Farm house?**


	20. A Little Piece of Serenity

**So I don't know how bad Tornado's get in Georgia as I have never actually been there. I did however google it and it says they do get them. Also we did see one in season five of the show. Anyway having never been in a tornado I am just kinda winging it. Hope it turns out alright.**

 **Anyway I have some tension for you in this chapter and some really sweet moments plus some awesome Daryl and Beth "Alone time" stuff. Let me know what you think. I love to hear from you all.**

 **BPOV**

The wind whipped throughout the small house we took shelter in. Branches and other small particles landed roughly in the basement. The howling of the wind made conversation impossible. Holding on tightly to Sydney I kept a constant prayer running in my mind while I stared across the basement at Daryl who crouched behind an old freezer staring at me. It seemed like hours passed when the wind finally died down. Pulling my arm from under Sydney's head I wiped the wetness from her tears on my sweater and pulled her up into a sitting position. "You okay?"

"Yeah." She nodded wiping the tears from her eyes. "Daddy?" She looked around and called out. He popped out of nowhere it seemed as I had lost track of him a couple of moments before. She jumped from her spot next to me and flung herself into his arms. He wrapped his large muscled arms around her and held on tight. My heart constricted with overflowing happiness at the sight. I had wanted him to do this for her for her entire life and now my family is hole again. I stood up and walked over to them, he pulled me into the hug and held on tight to us both. "Should we check outside?" She asked.

"Already done, and it's gonna take some work to get out of here." Aaron said as he came back down the stairs. We all turned to face him. "Most of the house is gone and there is truck tipped over blocking the only real path through all the debris."

"And the noise drew in a lot of walkers. You can see them coming a ways out." Eric added in as he appeared behind Aaron. "We are gonna have one hell of a fight to get away from here."

"Are the sky's clear though?" I asked.

"Yeah no sign of any more tornados or rain or any of that." Eric replied.

"Okay. Grab what you can and then rebar to use to fight the walkers. We gotta go over the truck since we can't just push it. I ain't the hulk after all." Daryl said in a joking tone. His humor always did appear in the strangest of times.

"What? You're not? Since when?" I replied back in a sarcastic tone. He smirked at me before taking my hand and leading me up the steps. We all grabbed onto rebar and our weapons and carefully treaded over to the debris to the old pickup truck on its side. "Okay Aaron You and Eric head over first, then I'm gonna send Sydney over to you." I instructed before anyone else could say anything. They nodded and hoped up and over. The blue truck shifted slightly causing everyone to stop for a moment. The groans of the dead was getting louder as the walkers neared us. "Be ready." I told them as Daryl hoisted Sydney up and made sure she got over to the others okay.

"Your next." He said as he attempted to help me up.

"No I am smaller I can go on my own. I would feel better with you on that side with them. I can be quick on my own. Now go don't argue." I said with as much strength and finality as I could. He for some reason obeyed and climbed over ready to fight off the oncoming walkers. I hoped up on to the side of the truck and surveyed the area, walkers were spread out as far as the eye could see. They were on our group in a matter of seconds. I jumped down to help get my family out of this mess. The rebar plunged into the skull of a walker as we tried to push them back. "We can't take em all we gotta run. We dispatched the ones closest too us and ran through the small opening between bodies. Looking ahead of me I could see Daryl smashing the head in with his crossbow while keeping Sydney close to his side.

The groans and moans of the walkers began to fade the farther away we got. The sun was high in the sky now as noon neared. The heat was getting to be unbearable and I knew we couldn't keep running much longer. I tried to keep up with the others but my legs decided to give out as we entered into an open meadow. The trees giving off a little shade on the edges. "Need a minute." I said as I stared up into the bright sunlight. I could hear the others falling to the long grass around me. My mind whirled with the recent events, unable to truly comprehend what all had happened today.

My chest heaved as I gulped in breaths of the moist air greedily. A shadow fell across my face allowing me to fully open my eyes. Daryl sat with his knees up as he looked down at me. "You okay?"

"Yeah jus' need a minute to catch my breath." I told him. He nodded his understanding. Finally after a few more seconds I sat up and placed my hands on his arms.

"You scared the shit outta me when you stayed on the other side of that truck longer than I thought ya would."

"I was on top of it." I said as if it explained everything. When he didn't say anything I continued. "I was checking out the area, looking to see how far up shit creek we were."

"We all got out." He said.

"I know and thank god for that." I replied, my breathing still a little heavy.

"Guys we should get moving again. We can walk now though." Eric said. I turned towards his voice and found him, Aaron and Sydney standing in a circle chatting quietly. Daryl stood in one fluent motion and pulled me up with him. His arm stayed around my waist as we walked over to join the group.

"Where about are we?" Aaron asked. I had forgotten for a moment that they had never been to Georgia before now and this whole area was knew to them.

"We need to find the train tracks." Daryl announced. I looked up at Sydney and saw her face changed through a myriad of emotions. "This way." He said pointing.

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As night fell a slope down to a set of train tracks appeared, a small tower sat off to the side. Daryl quickly scaled it and checked inside for any dangers. Once he made the motion for all clear we all climbed up and made camp for the night. Being so high up we all passed out relatively quickly as the events of the morning weighed us down.

All too soon the bright sunlight was streaming into the opening in the tower waking everyone up. I stretched my muscles hearing the all too familiar popping sound as a yawn escaped my lips. I looked over the edge and saw nothing in the way so I hopped down to the ground and walked a ways away to relieve myself before rejoining the group.

"There is a creek just down there." Sydney said as she started to lead the way.

We all followed her. "You have been here before?"

"Not at this exact spot no, but down that way Carol, Tyreese, Judith and I found a house. We had a few other kids with us. Lizzie and Mika. They didn't make it. Lizzie was nuts." She explained. Soon the creek appeared and we all waded in to get cleaned up as best we could. We emerged from the water feeling better than we had since losing Alexandria.

"Well we should head the way Syd pointed earlier." Daryl said as he shook the water from his hair. In no time we were walking in silence down the tracks. The birds singing their songs above us in the tree tops. There were no sounds of walkers or any real danger, it was a nice change of pace to our normal situations. Eventually the silken became too much as the day wore on.

"Do you think anyone else will be with Rick?" I asked to whoever would answer.

"Probably Carl and Judith. At least I hope so." Sydney answered before anyone else did. "Maybe Michy."

"Who knows Beth maybe Maggie and Glenn got out." Daryl added. I nodded my answer and looked around. Stopping dead in my tracks I looked around the area and stared open mouthed at the utility box. In brown dried blood words were written.

 _GLENN_

 _GO TO TERMINUS_

 _MAGGIE_

"How old do you think this is?" I asked. Eric and Aaron wore similar curious expressions as we all looked at Daryl.

"Old terminus was a bust. We all almost died there." He explained.

I hung my head sadly and continued on. We eventually made camp in the house Sydney described as being perfect before hell. It sat behind barbed wire fences on a pecan farm. It has a beautiful gas stove and the graves of young children. "Sydney do you want to talk about it?" I asked as we sat around the living room with a fire going in the hearth.

"I almost died that day. She wanted us to turn to prove some stupid point. I killed her so she would kill me and Judith like she did her own sister. I mean who does that." She rushed out. I held her hand gently as we listened to her story. Eric and Aaron offered some words of comfort throughout while Daryl remained quiet having already heard the story no doubt.

Grabbing my hand Daryl led me upstairs to the bedroom to get some sleep. "Aaron is gonna keep watch." He murmered. I closed the door behind me with my foot and pulled the heavy sweater from my shoulders and dropped it on the ground. Everything around us was peaceful. Sydney laughed her beautiful musical laugh at something the guys said downstairs. Daryl stripped off his vest and flannel, dropping them to the ground to join my clothing.

Soon we stood together naked in the bedroom. My eyes roamed over his body, taking in every detail. From the tattoos I hadn't noticed before to the scars that he didn't have before the end of the world and the ones he did. Letting my eyes roam lower I took in the large size of him, memories of all the times we had made love flooded back to me. On my bedroom floor, the hayloft, the bedroom in the house at Alexandria, the woods, and so many more. I could remember the feel of his fingers on my flesh, goosebumps began to rise as I thought about it. Moving my gaze back up to his face I noticed the hunger in his eyes and how they darkened to that perfect shade of stormy blue. I knew what was coming next and my body responded wonderfully. "Damn girl I haven't even touched ya yet." He said noticing the gooseflesh that now covered my entire body. I inched my way closer to him, my hands reaching out to squeeze his broad shoulders while his hands snaked around my back pulling me flush against him. I gasped out as I felt his hard member pressing into my stomach. "I can never get enough of ya Beth." He whispered into my hair as he pressed his face close to my head. I squeezed his shoulders in response before moving my hands down his hard chiselled chest, my finger nails raking down his skin causing a trail of gooseflesh to appear on his skin.

"Mmmh." I breathed as I tipped my face up to his. Taking one hand and grabbing the back of his head I pulled him down to my level and kissed him hard. His lips moved together with mine perfectly, his tongue slide across my lower lip asking for entrance. Opening my mouth to allow his tongue to enter I pressed myself closer to him. With our tongue's dancing and fighting for dominance I moved my hands down his back, holding him as close to my body as I could. Bringing about as much courage and strength as I could muster I pulled back from him and pushed him forward onto his back on the bed. It squeaked under his weight a little and I let out a giggle as I climbed on top of him. His hands rested on the sides of my thighs as I leaned over him, my hair fanning out around his head as I kissed him.

Slowly I eased myself down onto him moaning in the back of my throat. A slight hiss escaped his lips as he lifted his head up to meet mine in another deep kiss. Going on instinct my body began to move to a nice rhythm. His hips bucked up to meet mine and we slowly began to move faster. In a flash he flipped us over, his strong arms supporting his weight as I wrapped my legs around his waist.

His hips began to move at a faster rate again as I held onto his shoulders, meeting him thrust for thrust. Lifting my head a ways I kissed his shoulder, biting occasionally. Soon the familiar buildup in my stomach became too much, with a final thrust I fell over the edge into oblivion with stars dancing in front of my eyes and the feel of Daryl pulling out and spilling his seed onto my stomach took over. Within minutes our breathing was under control and Daryl was cleaning us up.

After wiping my stomach clean he crawled up the bed beside me, pulling the blanket over us we laid there in silence just enjoying each other's company. Sleep soon took over and all was darkness.

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"Hey you two get up." The door opened up wide and through the minimal light coming in from the candle Aaron held I could see him peering in looking for us.

"What's wrong?" I asked groggily.

"Nothing but it's your turn to take watch." He said as he disappeared back down the stairs. We stood slowly and got dressed before heading down to the living room. Eric was passed out on the sofa and Aaron was trying to wake him up. Sydney lay in a sleeping bag curled up on the floor in front of the fire. "Should we avoid the bedroom?" He asked us. I nodded my head remembering the sweet moments between Daryl and I only a few hours ago.

Stepping outside into the dark night to sit on the porch and watch for danger I never felt more at peace. Daryl and I were together and happy and we have everything we could ever hope for in this world. I still wish I could see my family again to feel their hugs and hear their words of encouragement and excitement over the things that happen in life. But I know that even though I can't see them or hear them I know they are out there watching over us and helping to guide us through life. "You alright?" Daryl questioned after the silence drug on for a long while.

"Just thinking about family. My mom and dad, Shawn and Maggie."

"Your dad was real proud of ya Beth. For goin' out there and making your way in the world. I'm sure your mom and Shawn were too."

"I hope so. Mama she cried for like a week when I told her I got that part in the play." I explained.

"I miss your mom."

"Do you remember when we were little and I think it was one of the first few times you came to the farm and my mom kept trying to shove food down your throat. I swear we ate more food those first few months then we ever had before."

"Yeah she was always tryin' to get me to eat. One day you had run up to the bathroom and she asked me to go in the kitchen and try some of her fried chicken. I told her I wasn't hungry but she put on some kind of show sayin' I needed to try it because it was a new recipe and she just wasn't sure about it." He said.

"She was always doin' that." I replied. "Shawn was so push too, he loved hanging out with us and makin' sure we were learning how to take care of ourselves."

"I used to think it was so weird havin' a brother around all the time being nosy and wanting to know how your day went. It was nice havin' him around."

We fell into silence again for a while, neither of us needing words to be comfortable in this moment. The sun was starting to rise in the east, birds began to chirp and woodland animals started to make there appearances. "I guess getting' married is out now."

"It ain't out, we just gotta do it the way Maggie and Glenn did."

"How's that?"

"On our own without all the hoopla of a wedding. They exchanged rings they took off dead people and vowed to each other."

"Well I still have the promise ring you gave me way back when." I announced as I pulled a chain from around my neck.

"Thought that looked familiar." He chuckled.

"You don't really need one, it will probably just drive ya crazy." He nodded his agreement and stood up. We entered the house to find everyone awake and munching on pecans. "Morning."

"Good morning you too." Eric chimed in a super happy high pitch tone. I gave him a look which shut him up. Sydney did not need to hear about anything that went on last night.

"So we have something we would like to do today before we leave." I started. Everyone looked my way giving me the attention to get it out in the open. "Daryl and I are going to get married. We want you three to be a part of it." The smiles spread across the room making my heart soar with delight.

"Now?"

"Now and then we can get back on the road." I replied.

It took a little set up but soon we were all prepared for our makeshift wedding. We each went off for a few minutes to prepare a few words while Eric and Sydney went out to gather a few flowers.

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"Daryl, I have known you almost my entire life. The years we spent together hold a special place in my heart and soul. You are my person through thick and thin. You are the one I want by my side when things get tough and during the good times too. I love you with my whole heart always and forever."

"Beth, I sure ain't good with words like you always have been but I want you to know that I have always loved you. Even when I lost myself I always kept ya in my heart. It's you and me girl forever." I smiled through unshed tears of happiness as he gazed down at me with love shining in his stormy blue eyes. I turned to look at Sydney quickly who handed me the ring I always kept close to my heart. I gave it back to Daryl and he slipped it on my ring finger. Reaching up on my toes I planted a kiss on his lips as our few friends and family cheered. "Forever Beth."

"Forever."

 _ **Thank you to everyone who has been reading and reviewing. It means a lot to me. I would like to dedicate this chapter to a family friend who passed away suddenly on March 2**_ _ **nd**_ _ **at the age of 22. He has been my little sister's best friend for so many years and we are all extremely heartbroken over this loss. Dylan we miss you and we hope you are at peace.**_


	21. Piano Shop Blues

**Thank you to everyone for your kind words.**

 **I am excited to say that after having lost the mojo for writing this and any story for the last two months I finally have a new zest for it and my idea cannon are running again. Yay.**

 **So suffice it to say there will be updates and a heck of a lot fast then they have been.**

 **This story will not get into any hilltop or Negan/Saviour stuff.**

 **The remaining chapters will be in Beth's POV unless otherwise specified!**

Married. I am married. I am finally married to Daryl Dixon. I am Mrs. Dixon. Holy catfish. I still can't wrap my head around it. Next to me as we walk through the woods hoping to get back to the farm by the end of the day is Sydney, chatting happily about the small wedding ceremony and how she is just so excited about us being a real family. I'm only half paying attention to what she's saying as my eyes focus on the back of Daryl's head as he walks in front of us talking to Aaron about what to expect at the farm. It ain't easy coming from the city to small country life, or well at least that's what people say and hey it was hard going from small town country to giant city for me.

Small groups of walkers emerged every now and then making it fairly easy to dispatch them without any trouble. Loud moans filled the calm air around us as we left the shelter of the trees, a large fence wrapping around a prison stood before us. Walkers were everywhere. "Dad we gotta keep moving."

"Yeah." He replied. I looked around unsure of what they were talking about until I remembered that this must have been where they were living before heading north. Daryl and Sydney had both mentioned a prison and her reaction to this place told me everything I needed to know. My father died here. This is the very place he was beheaded by that awful person they had to deal with. A silent tear slipped down my cheek as I turned to walk away with my family. Aaron and Eric stayed quiet as we walked towards a road. "Up the road a ways was a small town called Woodbury. It was where that guy who called himself the Governor lived. It was kinda like Alexandria only without the same kinda walls and less people. From what I heard about it from Merle it sucked a lot. Like livin in a prison without it bein an actual jail." Daryl explained.

"They kidnapped Aunt Maggie and Uncle Glenn." Sydney piped in.

I stayed silent just listening as my husband and daughter explained what life was life before I found them.

"Beth you alright?" Daryl asked as he slowed his pace to walk next to me once again.

"Yeah just thinking about everything that happened. My dad, Maggie."

"Maybe Maggie will be at the farm." I nodded along as we kept up with the others. I didn't want to think about who may or may not be at the farm. All the matters is the family I have with me. The ones I can still hold onto. In life there are many obstacles we must all face, but it is how we deal with and face them that shows who we truly are. I choose to be strong, I chose to keep fighting.

As the sky begins to darken we search for a place to set up shop for the night. No point on walking in the dark. As a small child we were told ghost stories to keep us from exploring outside in the dark. We feared it. We feared the things that go bump in the night. We feared things that never really existed and now we fear the dark for the things that do exist.

An old strip mall comes into view as we pass into the town lines of some small hick town that had one gas station and a few little shops. Not the cute quintessential town that I hail from but a town that just seemed to exist. "Here." I called out as I walked quickly up to a door. Daryl came up on my other side and knocked on the door. No sounds emanated from inside so we pushed on in. Empty. "We can make camp in here for the night."

"Yeah." Daryl replied as he helped Sydney bring in some of our things. "Rachel's Piano Shop."

"Bet she gave lessons." I responded. "I tried teaching Sydney when she was younger but she didn't seem to want to learn."

"It wasn't that I didn't want to…" She started. "Okay I didn't want to I much preferred to play soccer with my friends."

"Sports. Thata girl." Came Daryl's husky reply.

"I wasn't all into music and stuff." She said. "Uncle Shawn was teaching me how to change a motor in the truck just before mom left for New York and he was showing me how to properly muck out Nellie's stall."

"Muck out a stall." Eric said, his voice a little high pitched. "You actually took care of the horse yourself?"

"Yeah and the chickens and the pigs and I sometimes got to help with the cattle." Sydney explained. "Farm life is really different to the city I guess."

"Oh it is. I went to find a coffee on my first morning in New York and the only place I could find that I knew for sure sold coffee was a Starbucks. Who in their right mind spends that much money on a single coffee?" I said with humor. Two hand raised slightly in the air answering my question.

"I was totally in love with my Starbucks thank you very much. What I wouldn't give for a Venti Caramel Macchiato right about now." Eric responded. Aaron laughed a little as he sat down on a piano bench and stroked the keys.

"Why don't you play something Beth? There doesn't seem to be any walkers around." Aaron asked. I sat down at a different piano and stared at the off white keys. Testing a few I found it to be in not too bad of shape.

The notes began to flow from my fingers as if I had been practicing everyday still. Soon the words followed and the melody rang loud and clear in the small shop.

 _You know that I haven't gone to bed yet_

 _Just call me up, I'm a sure bet_

 _Berkeley's been breathing since first time we met_

 _I'm wide awake, I'm a sure bet_

My eyes closed as the music washed over me.

 _If you want in, there's no need for a knock_

 _We keep our doors at night unlocked_

 _Tip-tap the glass, cigarette or small talk_

 _I'm wide awake, my door's unlocked_

My mind emptied of everything other than the feel of the keys beneath my fingers and the sounds of my own voice lulling myself into a sense of security, if only for a moment.

Y _ou know that I haven't gone to bed yet_

 _Just call me up, I'm a sure bet_

 _Berkeley's been breathing since first time we met_

 _I'm wide awake, I'm your best bet_

The song finished and I sat back and opened my eyes. "Wow Beth. That was beautiful." Aaron said first. The others in the room nodded their heads in agreement. It had been a while since I let the music pour from my soul and I must admit it felt great.

A loud bang on the door startled me, jumping from my seat I pulled the gun from beside me and aimed. Daryl stood near the door, his hand on his crossbow ready to fire at a moment's notice. "Who's there?" He bellowed. I stood unmoving and not breathing as I waited for the answer. Eric moved Sydney behind him and held his gun at the ready with Aaron also blocking her. I had allowed myself a moment to be thankful for the people in my orbit before putting my focus 100% back on the door.

"Come on out with your hands up and weapons left behind."

"Go ta hell." Daryl yelled back at the man on the other side of the door.

"Now I wouldn't be talkin' like that son. We want whatcha got in there. We want yer weapons and yer women and your food. You try and fight and we will kill ya without even blinking." A shiver ran down my spine as his words echoed through my head. I felt sick and dizzy but knew I had to be strong. Strong to protect myself and to protect my daughter. Daryl couldn't pull all the weight that's not how this marriage is going to work. I won't let it.

"What makes you think we won't kill you first?" I said through gritted teeth as I walked forward a few steps.

"You sound might pretty little lady, how bout ya come out here and we can go off jus the two a us."

"I would rather slit your throat with a piece of broken glass covered in walker guts." I sneered. The group outside the piano shop chuckled at my threat not realizing they would have a massive fight on their hands if they try anything. I turned to Eric and Aaron. And whispers quickly. "Get her to hiding one of you and keep her safe. I'm going up to the roof to scope it out." I grabbed the silencer and found a way up to the roof. Ignoring the few quiet protests from Daryl and the others. Eric ushered Sydney into a back room most likely a bathroom before the turn and with a click I heard the door lock and Aaron followed me. Up on the roof I looked out over the road. The sun was mostly down casting eerie shadows everywhere. "Six men." I mouthed to Aaron.

"Looky here." A quiet sinister voice said from behind us. I spun around fast, my gun pointed at the tall well-built man in front of me. "You really are a sight for sore eyes little lady." I didn't even have to think about it. My finger pulled back on the cool trigger beneath my finger, a bullet flying out through the silencer and landing in the centre of the man's face. With a splatter he fell backwards, falling off the roof and unfortunately alerting the others of what had happened. Guns went up pointing in our direction.

"NOW DARYL." I yelled. He burst from the door as bullets began to fly every which way. I fired down at the men hoping to keep them away from Daryl. My mind couldn't think about what would happen if I lost him again.

The gun fire died down. The men that surrounded us lay un-moving on the hard ground. The sounds of walkers in the distance the only sound aside from our rapid breathing. "We gotta get our shit and get outta here. Don't know if they got more guys someplace else and them walkers will be all over us soon." Daryl announced. Hopping down the little hatch we re-entered the store and called out for Eric and Sydney. Quickly gathering our meager belongings we pulled open the door and made our way outside into the cool night air. The bodies of those we slain lay around us, pools of blood surrounding them.

"Well well well… Daryl fucking Dixon. Holy shit." A familiar scratchy voice said from the shadows. Spinning around to face the person who owned the voice I felt my jaw drop as blue eyes looked me over hungrily. I quickly shot a look at my husband. His face was one of disbelief and shock.

"Daddy who is it?" Sydney asked in a slight panic.

"Umm."

…

 **Dun dun dun….**

 **Who do yall think it is?**

 **Major plot twist coming your way folks hold on to your hats! Also the next chapter should be much longer. Let me know what you thought of this chapter.**


	22. You got to Hold On

_**Flashback**_

 _They hung a sign up in our town_

 _"If you live it up, you won't_

 _Live it down"_

 _So, she left Monte Rio, son_

 _Just like a bullet leaves a gun_

 _With charcoal eyes and Monroe hips_

 _She went and took that California trip_

 _Well, the moon was gold, her_

 _Hair like wind_

 _She said don't look back just_

 _Come on Jim_

 _I looked down into the sweet blue eyes of my baby girl. The words to my favorite Tom Waits song flowing freely from my lips. Sydney's little fist wrapped around my finger as we rocked in the old chair that has sat in my families living room my whole life. As much as my heart wants Daryl back and to have that life we talked about I know now that I can do this thing. I have my family. I have Sydney. I have my own strength._

 _Hold on, hold on_

 _You really got to hold on_

 _Take my hand, I'm standing right here_

 _And just hold on_

" _Bethy, can I hold her?" Maggie asked as she walked into the room from the kitchen. I looked up at my sister, my eyes filling with tears for the love radiating from my sister. I stood from the chair and walked a few steps meeting Maggie in the middle of the living room._

" _Here." I handed Sydney to my sister and sat back down. I watched as my little angel squirmed a bit before snuggling into Maggie's arms. "She's even more precious than I could have hoped for."_

" _You are a great mom Bethy. Don't ever let anyone tell you different okay."_

" _Thank you."_

" _I'm gonna miss you when I'm away at college but I know that Annette and Daddy are gonna take good care of ya." She said through tears. "A part of me doesn't want to go."_

" _Ya have to go Maggie. Its college, you have been talkin' about it for years. It would be silly to stay home." I said to her._

" _I know I know, I just hate that I'm gonna miss this little bit of perfect growing up."_

" _You won't miss it. I'll be recording all the real important stuff and Atlanta isn't that far away. You can come and visit and we can come and visit it will all be okay." I said to comfort her and myself. "You are going to have a great life Maggie. You just gotta go out and get it. And hey who knows maybe you will meet your prince in shinning baseball cap." I laughed lightly._

" _Right I totally bet he will be a bell boy… oh or a pizza delivery guy on a bike."_

" _Your standards are so low why not a doctor or a lawyer or something."_

" _Please talk about boring. Sure they got the money but do they have the personality and the ability to keep up with me." She said in her sassy tone. I rolled my eyes at her while trying not to laugh like a maniac._

" _Well whatever you find in Atlanta will be worth it. I'm so happy for you sis."_

" _Thank you Beth. And just know that when I am around this kid is totally mine." She giggled. We sat back into a comfortable silence after that. Maggie playing with the small infant in her arms and me well napping to be honest._

 _ **End Flashback**_

I stood frozen to my spot staring at the face of a man we all thought to be long dead. I remember the day like it was yesterday. Merle showed up at the farm with a shit eating grin on his face and a cold temper. He dragged Daryl away by his ear and left me crying in the dust as my life was ripped apart.

"Will Dixon? That's impossible." I mumbled under my breath. I looked over to Daryl quickly who had Sydney pushed behind him. No words seemed to form on his lips so I knew I needed to take the lead. "You died. Merle said you were shot three times. I don't understand…"

"I was but I survived and used it as a way to get away from my deadbeat lowlife son." He turned his gaze back over to Daryl who scowled even deeper at him. "Now what's a pretty little thing like you doin' with a nothin' like him?" His voice was like a cheese grater, my mind whirled as it tried to come up with an escape plan.

"You really don't remember me?" I said coolly.

His eye squinted as he looked closer. The darkness of the night not helping matters. "Yer that damn Greene girl ain't ya. Got my boy all twisted up."

I took a step closer, Daryl flinched forward a bit as I did. "It's Dixon now."

His laugh radiated loudly in the dark. The groans and growls of the nearby dead getting louder as the noise draws them in. "Well I'll be."

"We got nothin for you old man. Let us go." Daryl finally found his voice.

"Now why the hell would I do that? Yall killed my people. Them some good people I had here." His sinister voice snarked to us. "And 'sides it's been a long damn time since I saw a woman worth lookin' at. Come on baby doll lets you and I get better acquainted.

"Drop dead." The words flew out of my mouth before I could stop them. He laughed again, his gun rising from his side. I flinched thinking my end was near. I looked over to Daryl and Sydney who both worse terrified looks on their faces. The bullet whizzed past my head, a dull thud behind us had me turning slightly in time to see the limp body of a dead walker laying a few feet behind me. My breathing ragged as I turned back to the sick man in front of me. The man who used to find pleasure in beating his on child senseless just saved our lives.

"Beth there are more coming." Aaron inform me. He was still stood near me with Eric not to far behind him.

"We are sorry for killing your people. We won't kill you please just let us go." Sydney said ripping herself away from behind Daryl and stepping out to speak to the grandfather she had only heard horror stories about. "We were just trying to save ourselves."

"And why should I listen to you little girl?"

"Sydney don't." Daryl warned.

"Oh boy you protective of the little kid. She givin' ya somethin' yer pretty little wife ain't?"

"Dad I can take care of myself. Let me try please."

"Dad… Dad… You a pa now Darylenna." He chuckled in what seemed to be disbelief.

"That's not his name. Merle said the same things. Why do you need to be so mean all the time? You were mean when he was little and yer mean now. Your kids are a part of you and your wife who you apparently claimed to love. I don't get it at all." Her teenage brain attempted to wrap around the insane mind of Will Dixon.

"You weren't there kid so shut it." He sneered.

"Don't talk to her like that." I said firmly. "Listen we killed your people and your pissed I get that. How about we make a trade. We give you the food and water that we have and you let us live. You let us go."

"Beth?" Aaron said through clenched teeth.

"It's all we got Aaron."

"You want me to just let you all go?" Will said in a bored tone. He reached up his hand to scratch at his beard covered chin. People around town used to say that Daryl looked just like his father, they say he was going to end up just like him too. I never could believe any of the things people said. I couldn't see it myself. Daryl is a good man, he always has been. As for his looks, I think he looks more like his mom Caroline. "I'll take all that stuff ya go then I'll decide if I'mma let ya go."

"NO." Sydney said harshly.

"No?" He questioned. "Boy you better watch that kid a yers, she got some mouth on her."

Daryl inched forward ready to respond when Sydney spoke up again. "You might think you can win because you make people afraid. But the truth is you use attitude and your harshness because you're afraid yourself. We killed your people and now you're all alone again and that's what's scaring you the most. Well maybe if you had been nicer to your wife she wouldn't have died when and how she died. Your kids wouldn't have hated you and they would have been there for you. You ruined it all on your own Grandpa." She said, a sneer in her voice as she said the last word in spite. "So you're going to let all of us go before the walkers get here. You are going to turn around and leave and find yourself a new group of jerks and forget you ever saw us. This is not a debate and there is no way around it." He stepped back, his face a mask of shock and a little bit of guilt.

"What do you know about my wife kid?"

"I know that you hit her. I know that you caused her to smoke too much and drink away her pain and I know that she burned to death in your home while you were off on some bended and it was a miracle that my dad made it out of that house and to people that care about him." She explained. "I know the stories, my family made sure I knew those stories growing up."

"Why?" Daryl asked turning to look at me.

"I had to tell her something about why you were gone. Something that didn't sound like you just left us. I had to tell her the truth."

He nodded his understanding and turned back to Sydney who was staring down old man Dixon with a look of pure hatred. "Now, we are going to walk away."

His eyes looked sad, they actually looked human for once in all the years I had known this man. I wasn't sure what was going through his head or what was even going through Sydney's head but I knew we needed to get moving and fast. The walkers were closer than I would have hoped and we had no hope of outrunning them if we didn't leave right away. "End it."

"What?" Daryl questioned, his focus was on the walkers approaching now but he turned his head quickly to look at his father.

"Damn kid's right." He said. "Just end it and get the hell outta here." Before Daryl could respond a small black figure jumped down from the roof and in one fell swoop and the sickening sound of a neck cracking Will Dixon was on the ground. Daryl spun fully around to see what had happened.

"Who the hell are you?" Eric snapped as he stepped forward. Speaking up for the first time.

The woman pulled the black hood off and stood before us. "No one you need to remember. You should all get going before the rotter's get ya." Her hood was back up and she was running into the dark.

"Let's move." I said to everyone. We quickly took off towards the woods and away from the walkers, taking a few down that got to close.

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"Daryl you okay?" I asked as we set up camp a few towns over. We still hadn't slept in a few days and we knew we needed to take a break.

"Fine."

"I thought he was dead."

"So did I." He replied. "You know if he had just kept goin' the way things were then I never would have had to go with Merle and I woulda been there for you and for…"

"Daryl you can't be thinking like that. The past is the past no need to dwell. We have the future to look forward to."

"I know it's just hard to think he has been out there all this time."

"Well now we know he is for sure gone."

"Yeah good riddance." I sat down beside him and leaned my head on his shoulder. His hand reached out and wrapped around mine, our fingers lacing together. "I can't believe you told Sydney all the horrible things about my life."

"I told her everything about you because she is a part of you and she deserved to know you. I have always loved you for who you are, everything about you. She does too. She deserved to know who her father is." He nodded slightly to let me know he heard me and understood what I said.

"I wish neither of ya had to know the ugly parts."

"The ugly parts help to make you who you are and if you didn't know by now we think you are great." I whispered.

"Thanks Beth. You always know the right words. I suck at words."

"No problem, that's what good wives are for." I chuckled lowly so I didn't wake the others up. "Get some sleep Daryl."

"Nah I'll take watch you sleep."

"Nope now go." I said shoving his arm and planting myself firmly to my seat. He slid down to the ground by feet, his head resting softly against my knee. Soon his soft snores filled the air, bringing a bit of calm and peace to my mind. My hands idly went to his head to play with his hair as I sat watching for any danger. Time seemed to speed by as I got lost in my own memories of an easier time. Playing in the fields with Daryl and running around chasing the chickens.

"Beth, get some rest." Aaron said coming to take my place. I gently moved Daryl's head from my knee which of course woke him up.

"Let's move over there." I whispered, he nodded and stood up. Soon his arm was draped over my side as we lay curled up on the floor of the abandoned house. Sleep took over quickly.

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"How much farther is this farm?" Eric questioned as we walked through thick foliage in the woods.

"Not far." Daryl said as we walked out into an open field the surrounded the old Baptist church. I looked around and noted the dirt covering the walls.

"I used to spend every Sunday here." I commented.

"I used to avoid spending every Sunday here." Came Daryl's humours reply. "Your mama used to try and get me to come with ya every damn week.

"Daddy don't say damn this close to a church." Sydney piped in as she looked around for anything useful.

"Ain't nothin' here Syd, we covered it before we found yall at the farm."

"Sure but that was how long ago, maybe others stopped in and left stuff." Upon her urging we quickly checked the church for anything left behind or missed and came up empty. Daryl directed us through the woods and we eventually came out to a highway. The car's lined the roads like a graveyard, picked through by scavengers. I knew where we were and how to get home from here.

"Not too far now." The rest of the journey was quick as we worked our way back to the big old dirt driveway with the mailbox that read Greene. The letters faded and barley legible now but I would know it anywhere. "We are home."

Together the five of us walked down the long drive, the big white farmhouse with the wrap around porch came into view. The bodies had been cleared away and the burnt out RV was gone. The beginnings of a wall project was being built a safe distance from the house. We raised our weapons in case it was someone other than Rick who decided to make my home their home. The front door swung open revealing a man holding a large gun pointed at us.

 **Alrighty another update is posted. Hope yall liked it. Thank you to everyone who is reading and reviewing it means the world to me. Until next time…**


	23. The End is Coming

**Thank you to everyone for sticking with me for this story. I have loved writing it and I have loved hearing what you all thought. This chapter won't be the longest as things are tying up pretty nicely.**

 **I want to thank everyone for their support while I explored these wonderful walking dead characters, perhaps one day I will be back with more stories for them.**

 **Enjoy!**

We stood still in the front yard of the farm where I grew up. A man stood in the doorway pointing a gun directly at us. Without even thinking we moved Sydney behind us collectively. In a matter of seconds everything went from looking like hell to daisies. "Lower the gun Liam, lower the gun." The familiar voice thick with a southern Georgia accent filled the air as a thin man with a colt python dangling from his hip ran from the side of the house.

"Rick." Daryl yelled out as we all breathed in a sigh of relief and walked forward towards our friend and the mystery man in the doorway. "Brother."

"You made it. Good." Rick said as he stood by the steps, with his hand on his hip. "This is Liam we found him in North Carolina, him and his daughter came back with us."

"Nice to meet you I'm Beth."

"This your house ain't it?" He asked after shaking my hand.

"Yes."

"Now that I see ya up close I recognize ya from the pictures on the walls."

I nodded my head as an answer and turned to Rick. "Who all made it out with you?"

"Carl, Michonne, Judith, and Denise."

"We have Denise. Thank god." Eric chimed in pushing past us to go inside to find his friend. Aaron was hot on his heels.

"No sign of Maggie or Glenn?" Daryl questioned.

"None." We walked into the front room, Judith sat on the floor playing with some of Sydney's old toys from her room. Carl had his feet up on the coffee table and was flipping through one of Shawn's old comics. I could hear the tears and laughter of the reunion playing out in the kitchen. A small smiled formed on my lips.

"Hi Carl. Hi Judy. "Sydney said going over to sit next to Carl on the sofa. "Coffee tables are not for feet, Grandpa would blow a gasket if he saw you." She told Carl. His feet quickly moved to the floor as she turned her attention to Judy on the floor.

"So what happened to you guys?" Rick started. "Where is Katie?"

"We ran into more wolves on our way out of Alexandria, they killed Katie. We also ran into some trouble in when we got back into Georgia. If it wasn't for some tiny ninja girl who saved our asses we woulda been dead for sure." Daryl told the group gathered. Eric, Aaron, and Denise had entered the room by this point and all found spots to sit. Did yall have trouble?"

"Nah we made it back pretty quick with very little walker or human trouble."

"I woulda preferred human trouble for sure." Daryl said under his breath.

"Little ninja?" Carl pipped in with an amused expression. "Was she wearing a black hood and carrying a bow?"

"Yes, she took her hood off for a moment, she had long dark hair. You know her."

"Sounds like my Zoey. She's out gathering supplies."

"She good at snapping necks?"

"Grew up on a Christmas tree farm. She may look tiny but she is mighty strong." The front door swung open startling me. I jumped and spun around to face the new comer.

"Yall talking about me?" The woman or rather the girl from the other night said as she stood in the open door. The sunlight pouring in around her. She looked ethereal and deadly all at the same time.

"Hey Zoey, how was your trip?" Carl asked with a glint in his eye. It was totally clear he had a slight crush on the young girl.

"It was good. Got a few useful things and saved some people from the Dixon guy that used to terrorize our community." Daryl snorted as I stepped closer to her.

"Thank you for saving us. What community are you speaking of?" I asked her.

"Dad and I ended up living in this small town that had fences built around it to keep rotter's out. About 18 miles out Will Dixon and his band of bike riding men lived. They would stop in and try and steal the women it was real bad so killing him was a pleasure. He sure seemed to know you folks though."

"He's my father." Daryl told her, her eyes narrowed into slits as she braced to fight him off. "Before ya jump me, I ain't had nothin' to do with the old bastard since I was 16. Him bein' alive that night was a damn shock. I thought he croaked back when I was a teen." Her stance relaxed and she walked into the room, shutting the door behind her. "Thanks for takin him out by the way. Saved me a real problem."

"Your welcome. Now why are you all here?" She questioned.

"This is my house. It's been in my family for over 100 years." I explained, echoing something my dad told me once long ago.

" _Many years ago your great grandfather bought this land, he then built this house with his bare hands and the help of a few friends. When he met your great grandmother, he showed her his hard work. They lived her until they died, my father, your grandfather inherited this land, he kept it in the farming business but he became a cruel man Bethy. He wasn't respectful to his family, I left here when I was young and it wasn't until my father passed on and Maggie was born that I came back. Josephine convinced me to come home. When she passed I thought this home was cursed and I wanted to leave here but I couldn't bring myself to do it."_

" _Why not daddy?"_

" _Because she loved this house and these fields. I wanted Maggie to grow up here."_

" _Then what happened?" I asked him eagerly._

" _Well then I met your mama and Shawn. I brought them home with me one day and now we have you doodlebug." I giggled at the nickname. "I can never imagine leaving here now."_

" _Good I love the farm daddy."_

I brought myself out of my memories and tuned back into the conversation. "You zoned out there a bit." Eric pointed out.

"Yeah I was just remembering something from when I was little."

"Your dad?" Daryl questioned.

"Yeah."

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"It feels great to be in my bed again with my blankets and my pillows and all my stuff."

"It's weird being in your bed again. Although better with you here then back when we thought you were dead in New York." He replied. I chuckled a little.

"You think Syd will be fine in her room with Zoey?" He hummed in response to my question. After the initial meeting in the living room we had to decide who would sleep where. Daryl and I got my childhood room while Zoey and Sydney were to share her room. Rick and Michonne took daddy's old room while Gary bunked in the room on the main floor and Carl took up residence in Shawn's room."I always thought that while I may grow up and move on like I did when I went to New York that I would be able to always come home to my mama's cooking and daddy humming as he worked in the stables. I never thought that I would end up living in my family home with a bunch of new people."

"Growin up I loved this house. It was more of a home than my own place."

"You know if things had worked out the way we planned before Merle came and got you, Daddy was planning on leavin' us the farm." I confessed.

"What about Shawn?"

"He always planned on movin' to Savannah someday."

"What stopped him?"

"He didn't want to leave me and Sydney. You know Shawn he was always the protective over bearing big brother." Daryl chuckled next to me, his arm wrapping tighter around my waist as we snuggled under the blankets. "I really miss him." I said after a few minutes of silence.

"He really was great."

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Bright sunlight streamed in through the windows illuminating the light pink curtains that still framed the large window in my room. I pulled back the covers and stretched my muscles before tip-toeing over to the window seat. I sat down and pulled the little paper back novel the still sat between cushions. It was one of those raunchy novels that my mother would have killed me for having when I was younger. I found it in a bin at an old shop in town and hid it so no one else would find it. I read this thing so many times I can practically recite the whole thing. Flipping through the pages I let the familiarity wash over me.

The smell of something good wafted up the stairs, stirring Daryl from his sleep. We made our way down to the kitchen where Michonne and Eric were chatting animatedly about something and cooking breakfast. Judith sat in her high chair with a crayon and paper and everyone else was missing. "Morning."

"Oh good morning you too. So glad you could join us." Michonne playfully scolded us. I just smiled at her before responding.

"Where is everyone?"

"Gary and Rick are working on the wall and the kids are attempting to help them." Eric explained.

"Aaron is still in bed. I'm hoping to surprise him with breakfast in bed." Eric said giddily. "It's so nice having a place to sleep that isn't the floor of some store or the hard ground in the woods. You know we were never campers before all this and I really can't see that changing anytime soon."

"How is the guest house treating you?" I asked. We had built on an addition to the house for Patricia and Otis a few years before the world ended. It just didn't make sense them having a house of their own when they spent all day everyday over here.

"Wonderful thank you. I am so glad this place fits us all."

"We even have one room left to spare. My great grandfather had built so many rooms thinking he was going to have way more kids than he did. Who knew they would all be used one day."

"Are we saving it in case Maggie and Glenn show up?" Michonne questioned.

"Yes." I answered. I still held out hope that Maggie and Glenn would show up someday.

Letting the conversation drop Eric took two plates of the meal they cooked up stairs to his sleeping beau. Michonne popped her head outside and called for everyone to come in. I looked around at the smiling faces of my family. The people I have in this world, and while most are not my blood they are bonded to me in a way that I have never really known before. With Judith babbling quietly to herself as she shoved rolled oats into her mouth the conversation within the rest of us picked up. Eric and Aaron didn't stay upstairs long as they joined us at the large oak table.

"The wall should be finished by the end of the month, then I was thinking we start on a chicken coop."

"Maybe we can find some horses and a few cows. Get some milk again." I added.

"We have no idea how to farm though." Aaron piped in.

"True buy Daryl and I know how to run a farm. My dad taught us growing up. We used to help with the chores all the time. Sydney I know it's been a while and you were young but you should be able to remember some stuff."

"I do."

"Rick and Carl did some farming back at the prison." Daryl told the group.

"We got this guys." I said with a smile.

"Well we are willing to learn." Eric replied with his own smile.

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It took five years from when we arrived back at the farm for some scientist to find a way to put an end to the walkers for good. We fought through a few battles to keep our home over the years but nothing we as a group- nay- we as a family couldn't handle.

I was right when I thought Carl had a crush on Zoey, soon after they began to date. Well in as much a way as you can date when the world has ended. Now as the world rights itself and towns and cities re populate and grow they are ready to welcome their first child.

On a run with Zoey a year back Sydney met a boy, on his own after having watched his parents die from walkers. They brought him home and while Daryl scowled at the thought of his baby girl being close with a boy, he eventually conceded and welcomed him into the family.

While we talked about having another child ourselves we decided against it. One was enough for us and soon there would be another young child running around the farm.

"Beth ya ready to tear the wall down?" Rick called as he readied his sledge hammer. I held up my own and as a team we tore down the wall that helped protect us from the undead, it helped us to sleep well at night without having a person up at all hours to watch the empty fields.

Maggie and Glenn never showed up at the farm and we may never know what became of them. I hope to whatever god is out there that they found some place safe and made a home for themselves. That they are happy and together.

Standing on the front porch watching as my family milled about the yard, cleaning up from a grueling winter, I thought back on my life and all the things I have done. Daryl sidled up next to me, his arm winding around my waist and his chin resting on my head. "I love you Beth." I felt at peace.

"I love Daryl."

 **~The End~**

 **Thank you for reading and reviewing much love to everyone who has stuck by!**

 **Nicoletheresa1**


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